JR U
gu
Statiisudanion

National Research Institutefor Cultural Properties, Tokyo

National Institutes for
Cultural Heritage Secretariat

International
Library ofWest Gate
Children’s
Literature
KurodaMemorial Hall
◀ To Tokyo
Metro Nezu
StationTOKYO NATIONAL
MUSEUM
Main Gate

National Science
MuseumTokyo Metropolitan
Art Museum

Fountain
Police Box

Ueno park

Tokyo Metropolitan
Festival HallPark Exit

JR UenoStationUeno Zoo

National Museumof Western Art

N

Tokyo Metro
Ueno Station

Keisei Ueno
StationAccess:（JR Line）10 min. from Ueno or Uguisudani Station（Ginza or Hibiya Tokyo Metro Line）15 min. from Ueno Station（Chiyoda Tokyo Metro Line）15 min. from Nezu Station（Keisei Line）15 min. from Keisei Ueno Station

National Institutes for Cultural Heritage
13-9 Ueno Park, Taito-ku, Tokyo, 110-8712
Phone: +81-3-3822-1196

URL: http://www.nich.go.jp/

2014
Outline of the National Institutes
for Cultural Heritage

○Membership

CONTENTSTokyo National Museum and Nara National Museum are supported by the Supporting Member system, while Kyoto National
Museum is supported by the Seifukai Association. We also oﬀer “Friends of the Museum” and “Museum Passport” systems toencourage people to visit our museums more frequently. We welcome new members at any time of the year.

【Campus Members System】

Message
Ⅰ

Outline of the National Institutes for Cultural Heritage���2

Ⅱ

Projects of the National Institutes for Cultural Heritage ��5
１

Each of the four National Museums has its own membership programs for universities and colleges. These programs are aimed
at deepening cooperation with institutions of higher education and providing opportunities for their students to become familiar
with the National Museums. Members can enjoy various privileges, including free admission to regular exhibitions, for a yearly
membership fee corresponding to the number of students.

Acquisition and Preservation of Museum Collections ��5▪Collection▪Conservation and Restoration
Dissemination of Traditional Culture �����������5

２▪Exhibitions▪Number of Visitors▪Educational Activities
３

Contributing to Museum Activities as a Central
Organization for Museums in Japan �����������6

４

Promoting Surveys and Research as a Core Research
Organization for Japan’s Cultural Heritage��������6

５

Promotion of International Cooperation Related
to the Protection of Cultural Properties ���������7

６

Collection of Reference Materials and Disseminationof Research Outcomes������������������7

７

Improving Cultural Property Protection
by Assisting Local Public Organizations ���������7▪Collaboration with Universities

Ⅲ

Activities of Each Institution����������������8
Tokyo National Museum �����������������8
Kyoto National Museum ���������������� 10
Nara National Museum����������������� 12
Kyushu National Museum ��������������� 14
National Research Institute forCultural Properties, Tokyo ��������������� 16
Nara National Research Institute forCultural Properties������������������� 18
International Research Centre for Intangible
Cultural Heritage in the Asia-Pacific Region（IRCI）
��� 20

Ⅳ○Venue Hiring

Each of the four National Museums makes its facilities available as unique venues to the private entities for the holding ofvarious events. From corporate parties to outdoor ﬁlm showings, the museum facilities can be used for a wide range of activities.

Reference Materials ������������������� 22
Directors / Special Advisory Board /External Evaluation Board
Number of Staff
Organizational Chart
BudgetIncome from External Sources

Information about Donation and Membership�������� 24
Financial Donations and Cultural Property Donations
Membership
Venue hiring

A Special event held at the Gallery of Horyuji Treasures(Tokyo National Museum)Gala dinner party held at Heiseikan （Tokyo National
Museum）

Outline of the National Institutes for Cultural Heritage, 2014 25

Message
SASAKI Johei
President
Independent Administrative Institution
National Institutes for Cultural Heritage

The National Institutes for Cultural Heritage include the following: four national museums, two national research
institutes for cultural properties, and the International Research Centre for Intangible Cultural Heritage in the AsiaPacific Region (IRCI), which was established in 2011. This brochure presents an overview of the activities being
undertaken by these seven institutions.
These institutions are located in different parts of Japan; each has its own unique characteristics, and theactivities undertaken by each institution reflect the region in which it is situated. The Tokyo National Museum isa broadly focused museum located in the Tokyo metropolitan area. It takes a leading role in promoting Japaneseculture worldwide. The Kyoto National Museum showcases the unique culture that developed in Kyoto over thecourse of its nearly 1,200 years as an Imperial capital from the eighth century to the nineteenth century. The
Nara National Museum plays an indispensable role in the preservation and interpretation of Buddhist culture, while
the Kyushu National Museum embodies a unique perspective that emphasizes Kyushu's status as a region that
historically has had extensive cultural exchanges with other parts of Asia. The National Research Institute forCultural Properties, Tokyo, disseminates to the world knowledge that is the fruit of both fundamental research andcutting-edge, high-tech scientific research relating to cultural properties. The Nara National Research Institute forCultural Properties is an important center for wide-ranging research on society in ancient Japan. The International
Research Centre for Intangible Cultural Heritage in the Asia-Pacific Region is engaged in research on thesafeguarding of intangible cultural heritage in the said region through international collaboration.
While each of these institutions has its own important role to play, they also have a shared goal – to contributeto a better understanding of Japanese traditional culture by preserving and researching cultural properties andby enabling as many people as possible to view these cultural assets under the best possible conditions andin the best possible environments. The National Institutes for Cultural Heritage thus have the important task of
supporting the foundations of the administration of cultural property preservation in Japan.
For the National Institutes for Cultural Heritage, 2013 was a year that saw a defining debate that will havea major impact on how the institutes develop in the future. It had been proposed, based on a Cabinet decision
made in January 2012, that the institutes should be merged with the National Museum of Art and the Japan Arts
Council. However, with a new administration coming into office in December 2012, this merger was suspended.
Throughout 2013, the Japanese government reviewed the proposals regarding the organizational restructuring of
the Independent Administrative Institutions (IAIs).
The three IAIs – the National Institutes for Cultural Heritage, the National Museum of Art, and the Japan Arts
Council – are all organizations that underpin the framework for cultural administration in Japan. However, there aremajor differences among them in terms of the focus of their activities and operational approaches; as such, it ishighly unlikely that a merger of these three organizations would produce any significant benefits. The point that
we sought to emphasize was that rather than thinking of a merger, the“Act on General Rules for Incorporated
Administrative Agency”and its operation should be reviewed, which would without question allow these three
existing organizations to operate more effectively. Voices were also raised suggesting that it was not desirable
to have a merger among organizations with different missions and different roles, and that, instead, it would be
preferable to expand these organizations so that they can properly fulfill their originally-conceived role as the“core”
of Japan’s cultural administration. Because it was believed that the merger would not improve efficiency, it was put
on hold by the cabinet late in December of 2013.
The main points that we wanted to get across during the recent round of discussions were as follows: Whileseeing government subsidies cut every year, our revenue target has been raised, making it extremely difficult tocarry on operating. In addition, even when we have gained more than the revenue target, we have not been allowed
to use the surplus revenue ourselves. These are areas where we felt that improvement was needed. The new
government policy will ease financial pressure as our target revenue for the fiscal year of 2014 will remain thesame as for the previous year. Regarding the distribution of revenue, up until now the efforts made by the institutes
to strengthen their operations have generally not been recognized, and any surplus revenue earned in excess of thetarget for internally-generated revenue was paid to the National Treasury. Now, following a number of improvements
to the recognition criteria guidelines, a new approach is being demonstrated whereby revenue in excess of thetarget set is recognized as“new revenue.”
As has been reiterated in the“Basic Strategy Regarding Reform of the Independent Administrative Agencies”
that was approved by the Cabinet on December 24, 2013, regardless of the circumstances, given that government
funding support derives ultimately from the taxes paid by the nation’s citizens, we should be constantly striving toensure that this funding leads to improvements in the quality of services provided that are visible to the public.
While recognizing the reality of government finances, we have a responsibility to make people aware that
preserving cultural heritage and enabling more people to view and learn about it is very important, and is intimately
connected with the invigoration of contemporary Japanese culture.
Looking ahead, we at the National Institutes for Cultural Heritage will continue to carry out our work in fullawareness of the important role that has been entrusted to us. We look forward to your continuous support in the
future.

Ⅰ Outline of the National Institutes for Cultural Heritage
The Independent Administrative Institution (IAI) National Institutes for Cultural Heritage was formed in April of 2007 throughthe merging of the IAI National Museums (Tokyo National Museum, Kyoto National Museum, Nara National Museum and Kyushu
National Museum) and the IAI National Research Institutes for Cultural Properties (National Research Institute for Cultural Properties, Tokyo and Nara National Research Institute for Cultural Properties), which share the same mission: the conservation andutilization of cultural properties.
Japan’s cultural properties are the precious assets of the Japanese people. In order to preserve and utilize these properties
more effectively and efficiently under unified management, each of the seven existing institutions plays the following roles.

Tokyo National Museum

Kyoto National Museum

Nara National Museum

As Japan’s representative museum
in the humanities field, Tokyo National
Museum collects, preserves, manages
and displays cultural properties fromacross Japan and other Asian regions,while also conducting research and providing educational programs.

Kyoto National Museum collects,preserves, manages, and displays
cultural properties, while also
conducting research and providing
educational programs. The focus ison properties from the Heian period
to the Edo period, a time when Kyoto
was the capital of Japan.

Nara National Museum collects,preserves, manages and displays cultural properties, while also conducting
research and providing educational
programs. The focus is on Buddhist art
and the cultural properties of Nara.

Kyushu National Museum

National Research Institute forCultural Properties, Tokyo

Nara National ResearchInstitute for Cultural Properties

The National Research Institute forCultural Properties, Tokyo, conducts research on Japanese cultural properties,
utilizing a variety of basic, advanced andpractical methods. In addition to actively
publicizing and utilizing the results ofthis research, as an International Centerfor Cooperation, the institute also facilitates global research into the protectionof cultural properties.

Located near the Nara Palace site,
the Nara National Research Institutefor Cultural Properties is engaged in
excavation and research projects related
to the conservation and utilization ofcultural heritage such as sites, buildings
and gardens as well as cultural properties
preserved at major temples and shrines in
the Nara and Kinki regions. The institutealso advises and cooperates with research
projects conducted across Japan.

Kyushu National Museum collects,preserves, manages and displays cultural properties, while also conducting
research and providing educational programs. The focus is on cultural assets
s cultural exchanges
related to Japan’
with other Asian regions.

International Research Centre for Intangible
Cultural Heritage in the Asia-Pacific Region
We facilitate research for the safeguarding of endangered intangible cultural heritage (ICH) in the Asia-Pacificregion, and collect and disseminate
information relating to international
trends in the safeguarding of ICH.

Tokyo National Museum

AccessInternational
Library ofChildren’s
Literature
KurodaMemorial Hall◀To Tokyo
Metro Nezu
Station13-9 Ueno Park, Taito-ku, Tokyo, 110-8712

West
Gate

TOKYO NATIONAL
MUSEUM
Main Gate

Tokyo Metropolitan
Art Museum

Phone: +81-3-3822-1111

Fountain
Police Box

Ueno park
Ueno Zoo

National Museumof Western Art
Tokyo Metropolitan
Festival HallPark Exit

JR UenoStationhttp://www.tnm.jp/

National Science
Museum

(JR Line) 10 min. from Ueno or Uguisudani Station(Ginza or Hibiya Tokyo Metro Line) 15 min. from Ueno Station(Chiyoda Tokyo Metro Line) 15 min. from Nezu Station(Keisei Line) 15 min. from Keisei Ueno Station

Visitor Information

Hours: 9:30-17:00 (Last admission 30 minutes before closing)	Open until 20:00 on Fridays during special exhibition
periods from March 28 to December.
	Open until 18:00 on Saturdays, Sundays, and National Holidays from March 29 to December 7.
Closed: M ondays (except for National Holidays which fall on Mondays, in which case the museum is open on the holiday
and closed the following Tuesday) and during the yearend holidays (December 24-January 1)

2 Outline of the National Institutes for Cultural Heritage, 2014

Admission: Adults: 620 (520) yen
University Students: 410 (310) yen※( ) indicate prices for those in groups of 20 or more.
※Additional charge is required for special exhibitions.
※Persons with disabilities and one accompanying person are admitted free.
※Persons over 70 and under 18 are admitted free to regular exhibitions.
※Admission to regular exhibitions is free on International Museum Day (May18 or the following day if it falls on a Monday) and the Respect for the
Aged Day (the third Monday of September).

City, Kyoto Prefecture 605-0931
Phone: +81-75-541-1151
http://www.kyohaku.go.jp/

JR Kyoto
Station

Kintetsu
Kyoto Line

Kaw
Stre abata
et
Yam
atoo
Stre
ji
et

Higa
s
Stre hioji
etKaw
Stre aramac
hi
et

River
Shichijo
StreetKeih
Railwanay

Higashi Hongan-ji
TempleKamo

527 Chaya-cho, Higashiyama-ku, Kyoto

Kennin-ji
TempleHokokuShrineKyoto National
Museumijo
Shichon
Stati

Gojo Street

Karasuma
StreetHorikawa
StreetKyoto National Museum

Subway Karasuma Line

AccessChishaku-in
TempleSanjusangendo
TempleJR Tokaido Line
Shinkansen Line

JR Nara Line

(City Bus from JR, Subway, or Kintetsu Kyoto Station) 1 min. from
“Hakubutsukan Sanjusangendo-mae” stop on #206 or #208 line
(Keihan Line) 7 min. from Shichijo Station

Visitor Information

The Heisei Chishinkan Wing (new Collections Hall) is set to open
on September 13, 2014.
Hours: 9:30-17:00 (last admission 30 minutes before closing)	(Open until 18:00, and until 20:00 on Fridays, during special exhibition periods)
Closed on Mondays (except for National Holidays which fall on
Mondays, in which case the museum is open on the holiday andclosed the following Tuesday), and during the New Year period

Admission: Adults: 520 (410) yen
University students: 260 (210) yen※( ) indicate prices for those in groups of 20 or more
※Free admission for high school students and younger children※There is a charge for use of the car parking facilities. We
recommend using public transport to travel to the Museum.

Nara National Museum

AccessTodaiji
TempleN
W

Himuro Jinja 卍E

Nara
ShrinePrefectural
Office underpass

S
Kintetsu
Nara Station

50 Noborioji-cho, Nara City

Noborioji Street

Kohfukuji
Temple 卍
Sanjo Street

JR
Sta Naration

Nara Prefecture 630-8213
Phone: +81-742-22-7771
http://www.narahaku.go.jp/

KasugaTaisha Shrine

Nara National Museum卍

Gangoji
Temple(Kintetsu Line) 15 min. from Kintetsu Nara Station(City Loop Bus) “Shinai Junkan” from JR or Kintetsu Nara
Station, to ”Himuro Jinja / Kokuritsu Hakubutsukan” stop

Visitor Information

The Nara Buddhist Sculpture Hall & Ritual Bronzes Gallery will be temporarily closed
from September 8, 2014.
Hours: 9:30–17:00 (Last admission 30 minutes before closing)	Open until 18:00: July 19–September 15 and March 1–14
	Open until 19:00: Fridays from the last Friday in April to the last Friday in	October, August 5–14, December 14 and 17, the fourth Saturday of January, February 3, and March 12
	Open 9:00-18:00 during the Shōsō-in Treasures exhibition period (open until
19:00 on Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays, and National Holidays)
Closed:	Mondays (except when National Holidays fall on Mondays, in which casethe museum is open on the holiday and closed the following day), New
Year’s Day (January 1)

Admissions:

Adults: 520 (410) yen
University Students: 260 (210) yen※( ) indicate prices for those in groups of 20 or more
※An additional charge is required for special exhibitions※Free admission (to all exhibitions) for disabled pass holders and one assistant※Free admission (to masterpiece exhibitions) for seniors (70+) and children(under 17 or high school students)※Free admission to masterpiece exhibitions on Children’s Day (May 5), International Museum Day (May 18 or the following day if it falls on a Monday),Respect for the Aged Day (third Monday of September), Kansai Culture Day,
On-Matsuri Festival Owatari-shiki parade, and Setsubun (February 3)

Kyushu National Museum

Access35

Dazaifu Tenmangu
Shrine4-7-2, Ishizaka, Dazaifu City, Fukuoka
Prefecture, 818-0118
Phone: +81-92-918-2807

Nishitetsu
Dazaifu
StationNis
Da hitetzaif suuL
ine

http://www.kyuhaku.com/

Visitor Information

Hours: 9:30-17:00 (Last admission at 16:30)
Closed on Mondays (except for National Holidays that fall on Mondays, in which case the museum is
open on the holiday and closed the following Tuesday), and during the Year-end holidays

The Cultural Exchange Exhibition room (regular exhibition)

Admission: Adults: 430 (220) yen
University students: 130 (70) yen※( ) indicate group prices (for paying visitors in groups of 20 or more)※An additional charge is required for special exhibitions※Persons with disabilities and one accompanying person are admitted free※Persons 70 years or older, persons under 18 years, and school students (up to and including high school) are admitted free to Cultural Exchange Exhibition.
※Admission to Cultural Exchange Exhibition is free on International Museum Day (May 18 or
the following day if it falls on a Monday) and Respect for the Aged Day¯¯
Komyozenji
TempleKyushuNational
Museum76
Chikushino-Dazaifu LineBy rail:	Nishitetsu rail line: From Nishitetsu Fukuoka (Tenjin) Station, take the
Nishitetsu Tenjin Omuta Line to Nishitetsu Futsukaichi Station (approximately 13 minutes on the Limited Express, 17 minutes on an Express
train), and transfer to the Nishitetsu Dazaifu Line (approximately 5 minutes) and get off at Nishitetsu Dazaifu Station. Approximately 10 minutes walk from Nishitetsu Dazaifu Station. *Please note that no extra
charge is required for taking the Limited Express or Express train.
	JR rail line: From JR Hakata Station, take the JR Kagoshima Chuo Line(approximately 15 minutes on the Rapid train) and get off at JR Futsukaichi Station. To get to Nishitetsu Futsukaichi Station it is approximately 12 minutes walk or 5 minutes by bus; Take the Nishitetsu
Dazaifu Line and get off at Nishitetsu Dazaifu Station.
By car:	By Kyushu Expressway, approximately 20 minutes drive from either Dazaifu
I.C. or Chikushino I.C. via Takao Intersection. By Fukuoka Urban Expressway,
approximately 20 minutes drive from Mizuki exit via Takao Intersection
By taxi:	Approximately 15 minutes from JR Futsukaichi Station, or 30
minutes from Fukuoka Airport.
By Nishitetsu bus: F rom Hakata Bus Terminal (Bus Stop No. 13), take thebus to Dazaifu and get off at Nishitetsu Dazaifu Station(journey time is approximately 42 minutes). From the Station, it is approximately 10 minutes walk to the Museum.

Outline of the National Institutes for Cultural Heritage, 2014 3

National Research Institute for Cultural Properties, Tokyo卍 Kaneiji

JR Uguisudani
StationtempleShinobugaoka
Junior High School

Ueno juniorHigh School

National ResearchInstitute for Cultural
Properties, Tokyo

International Library ofchildren’s Literature

TOKYO NATIONAL
MUSEUM

Kuroda Memorial Hall

(JR Line) 10 min. from the South Exit of JR Uguisudani Station,
15min. from the Koen
(Park) Exit of Ueno Station(Ginza or Hibiya Tokyo Metro Line) 20 min. from Ueno Station(Chiyoda Tokyo Metro Line) 20 min. from Nezu Station(Keisei Line) 20 min. from Keisei Ueno Station

The University
Art Museum-Tokyo
University of the Arts

Tokyo Metropolitan
Art Museum

National Science
MuseumUeno park

National Museumof Western Art
Ueno Zoo

Tokyo Metropolitan
Festival Hall

To Tokyo Station

http://www.tobunken.go.jp/

JR UenoStation←To Ikebukuro
Station↑Phone: +81-3-3823-2241

AccessPark Exit

13-43 Ueno Park, Taito-ku, Tokyo, 110-8713

Nara National Research Institute for Cultural Properties
AccessNara facilities

Asuka and Fujiwara sites

JR-WestＮara Sta.

(Kintetsu Line) 10 min. from Yamato Saidaiji Station
to the institute and the Nara Palace Site Museum(Nara Kotsu Bus from JR and Kintetsu Nara Stations)
3 min. from Nijocho stop to the Nara Palace Site Museum

Visitor Information●Nara Palace Site Museum
Hours: 9:00-16:30 (Admission free; last admission at 16:00)
 ondays (except when National Holidays fall on Mondays, in which case the museum is
Closed: M
open on the holiday and closed the following day instead) and over the New Year period
Note: Free guided tours by volunteers available
Phone: 0742-30-6735 (Collaboration Promotion Division)●Exhibition Room of Fujiwara Palace Site
Hours: 9:00-16:30 (Free admission)
Closed: During the New Year period and exhibition renewal periods
 744-24-1122 Department of Imperial Palace Sites Investigations (Asuka and Fujiwara)
Phone: 0

Kashihara
jingo shrine←To Osaka
Abenobashi

Kintetsu
kashihara Line
Unebi goryomaeSta.

Omiya St.

To Kintetsu Nara→

←To Osaka

Route24

Kintetsu Kashihara Line←To Kashiharajingu-mae

Ichijo St

Shin Omiya
Sta.

To Sakurai→

Kashihara
Kintetsu Minami jingu-mae Sta.
Osaka Line

(Asuka/Fujiwara)

Mt Amanokaguyamaae

To Sakurai→

JR Sakurai Line

Fujiwara Department of Imperial
Place Site Palace Sites Investigations

Route 24

w
ga r
ka ve
su Ri

http://www.nabunken.go.jp/

Nara Lin

Miminashi
Sta.

A

Phone: +81-742-30-6733

Kintetsu

t
es ne
-W Li
JR sainKafecture 630-8577

SuzakuGate

Route 165
JR Unebi
Sta.

←To Takadazu

247-1 Saki-cho, Nara City, Nara Pre-

Nara palace
East Palace
Site
GardenKi

Nara National
Research Institutefor Cultural
PropertiesTo

Y←T Said amatooa
Na Osak iji Sta
mb a
.
a

Kintetsu Osaka Line

Yamato←To Osaka Yagi Sta.
Uehonmachi←

Nara Palace
Site Museum

Former Imperial
Audience Hall
Excavation Site
Exhibition Hall

Route 169o→

To Kyot

Asuka HistoricalMuseumOkuyama kumedera
temple↓To Yoshino

Asuka Niimasu
Jinjya shrine

Yamadadera
temple(Kintetsu Line) 20 min. by taxi from Yamato Yagi
Station to the institute 20 min.
by taxi from Kashihara Jingu Mae Station to the Asuka Historical Museum
From either Kintetsu Kashihara Jingu Mae Station or
Kintetsu Asuka Station, take the Kame Bus and get
off at the Asuka Historical Museum stop.
From JR/Kintetsu Sakurai Station, take the Nara Kotsu
Bus and get off at the Asuka Historical Museum stop.

●Asuka Historical Museum
Hours: 9:00-16:30 (Last admission at 16:00)
 ondays (except when National Holidays fall on Mondays, in which case the museum is
Closed: M
open on the holiday and closed the following day) and over the New Year period
Admissions:	Adults: 270 (170) yen
University Students: 130 (60) yen※( ) indicate prices for those in groups of 20 or more
※An additional charge is required for special exhibitions※Persons with disabilities and one accompanying person are admitted free※Persons under 18 years, and school students (up to and including highschool) are admitted free to regular exhibitions
Note: Guides available (free of charge, reservations required)
Phone: 0744-54-3561 Asuka Historical Museum

International Research Centre for Intangible Cultural Heritage in the Asia-Pacific Region (IRCI)
AccessShin-osaka

Hankai Line

http://www.irci.jp

4 Outline of the National Institutes for Cultural Heritage, 2014

GoryomaePhone: +81-72-275-8050

shi
iga

City, Osaka 590-0802

kaih

Sa

Sakai City Museum, 2 Mozusekiun-cho, Sakai-ku, Sakai

City OfficeN
Koy ankaia LineNintokuTenno-ryo
Kofun
Bus Stop
Hakubutukan-mae

IRCI
Goryodori
Daisennishimachi2cho

Osaka

Tennoji
JR Hanwa Line

Mikun

igaokaMozu

Highway
Sakai Exit

To Namba

To Kansai
Airport●(JR Hanwa Line) 6 min. from Mozu Station(Nankai Bus) 4 min. from Sakaishi Hakubutsukanmae

Ⅱ Projects of the National Institutes for Cultural Heritage
The Undertakings of the National Institutes for Cultural Heritage include:

１ Acquisition and Preservation of Museum Collections
As core institutions involved in the preservation and transmission of history and traditional culture, each museum collects
objects according to its own individual collection policy to ensure that the accumulation of objects is systematically andhistorically balanced. We also work closely with the Agency for Cultural Affairs to actively promote donations and long-term loans
from private owners, utilizing the System of Enrolled Art Objects, for example, or improving the inheritance tax system to make iteasier to donate objects.
Japan’s cultural properties are the precious assets of the Japanese people. In order to pass on this heritage to future
generations, we make efforts to improve the environment for the works while working systematically to restore the objects, withthose requiring urgent treatment given priority. This work is carried out through the coordinated efforts of specialists in the fields
of conservation science and restoration technology, using both traditional techniques and modern scientific methods.

■Collection

We continually strive to collect cultural properties（through purchases and donations）with the aim of:（1）accumulatingcollections that are both systematically and historically balanced, and（2）preventing the dispersion of private collections andthe export of tangible cultural properties from Japan.
Furthermore, the four museums each accept long-term loans from temples, shrines and private collectors in order to further
enhance their own distinctive regular exhibitions.

■Conservation and Restoration

Tangible cultural properties preserved in museum collections need to be restored approximately once every 100 years. The
Institutes carry out two levels of conservation work: minimal treatments for general display and storage when necessary; and fullscale treatments, performed on a schematic basis in response to the condition of the object.

Number of Objects in the Museum Collections
Total（Entries）

Tokyo National Museum Kyoto National Museum Nara National Museum Kyushu National Museum

Important
Important
Important
Important
ImportantNational
National
National
National
National
Total
Cultural Total
Cultural Total
Cultural Total
Cultural Total
CulturalTreasures
Treasures
Treasures
Treasures
Treasures
Properties
Properties
Properties
Properties
Properties
124,729130952

115,653

87

633

6,721

27

179

1,862

13

111

493

3

29

（Figures as of March 31, 2014）

Number of Objects on Long-term Loan to the Museums（Entries）

Total

Tokyo National Museum Kyoto National Museum Nara National Museum Kyushu National Museum
Important
Important
Important
Important
ImportantNational
National
National
National
National
Total
Cultural Total
Cultural Total
Cultural Total
Cultural Total
CulturalTreasures
Treasures
Treasures
Treasures
Treasures
Properties
Properties
Properties
Properties
Properties
53
24 5 5,89287
622 1,994
53
321 1,081
0
3
11,486 193 1,191 2,519（Figures as of March 31, 2014）

２ Dissemination of Traditional Culture
We disseminate information both nationally and internationally to promote understanding of the history and traditional culture ofJapan and other Asian regions. For this purpose, we hold attractive exhibitions and high-quality displays that reflect both visitor
needs and the latest academic trends. We are also constantly striving to improve our facilities and management to make ourmuseums more accessible and visitor-friendly.

■Exhibitions

Each museum holds its own distinctive regular and special exhibitions to provide opportunities for visitors to engage withtraditional art and archaeological objects, including National Treasures and Important Cultural Properties. We also collaborate
with overseas museums to hold exhibitions which introduce our respective cultures.

■Number of Visitors（Fiscal 2013）
Total

Tokyo National Museum

Kyoto National Museum

Nara National Museum

Kyushu National Museum

2,660,010

1,322,288

148,429

461,690727,603

Outline of the National Institutes for Cultural Heritage, 2014 5

Special Exhibition: Kano Sanraku and Sansetsu（Kyoto
National Museum; March 30–May 12, 2013）■Educational Activities

Ribbon-cutting ceremony for the opening of the Special
Exhibition: The Culture of Japan (overseas exhibition
organized by the Agency for Cultural Affairs)(Venue: Vietnam National Museum of History, Hanoi)
January 16–March 9, 2014

To promote understanding of the history and traditional culture of Japan and other Asian regions, we provide a variety ofeducational programs（such as lectures and workshops）in cooperation with schools and other educational institutions.
Furthermore, we work with universities to provide professional training and also support volunteer activities with the aim offurther improving our educational programs.

３ Contributing to Museum Activities as a Central Organization for Museums in Japan
We aim to play a leading role for museums in Japan while actively engaging with overseas museums and contributing to vibrantmuseum activities both within Japan and overseas. To achieve these goals, we are engaged in the following tasks:

The 4th Executive Committee Meeting of Asian
National Museum Association (ANMA)
October 8, 2013① We widely disseminate the results of research into museum
collections and other areas through various media such as
publications and websites.
② We hold international symposiums with noted scholars from othercountries. We also send our staff members to research institutions
and international conferences overseas.
③ Together with other related institutions, we provide training programsfor museum professionals in such fields as conservation and restoration.
Through these activities, we contribute to the improvement ofconservation and restoration technologies both within Japan and abroad.
④ While taking into account conservation considerations, we
actively loan objects from our collections to public and private
museums so they can be seen throughout Japan. We are also
working to build a professional network through which we can offer
instruction, advice and information exchange to public and private
museums throughout Japan.

４ Promoting Surveys and Research as a Core Research Organization for Japan’s Cultural Heritage
Besides promoting surveys and research relating to various types of cultural properties, we also contribute to the developmentof knowledge and techniques necessary for ensuring the preservation of precious cultural properties and handing this heritage
down to future generations.

Lion dance for spring prayer at a destroyed
village (Takeura, Onagawa-cho)Reconstruction of the ceiling of Kitora
Tumulus

X-ray fluorescence analysis of mural
paintings of the Takamatsuzuka Tumulus① We conduct a wide range of fundamental and systematic research on Japan’s cultural properties and the related culturalproperties of other nations. These include tangible cultural properties, monuments, cultural landscapes, and groups of historicbuildings. Our research also includes topics such as the transmission and presentation of intangible cultural properties, aswell as the researchers who engaged in the study of Japan’s ancient castle towns through the excavation of the Asuka,
Fujiwara, and Nara Palace Sites. Through this, we promote the development of methods for comprehensive research on culturalproperties, thus contributing to the establishment of a foundation for the protection and appraisal of cultural properties by the

6 Outline of the National Institutes for Cultural Heritage, 2014

government and local public organizations.
② We conduct research and development aimed at establishing（1）techniques to produce digital images suitable forthe recording and analyzing of cultural properties and（2）methods for conducting research on archaeological sites ordendrochronology. Through this, we contribute to increasing and providing fundamental materials that will shed light on thecultural and environmental backgrounds of cultural properties as well as the changes they have come through.
③ We work to raise the quality of cultural property conservation and restoration through state-of-the-art research using the latest conservation techniques, together with research into traditional restoration techniques and methods of manufacturing andutilization.
④ When requested by the Japanese government or local public organizations, we carry out practical, prompt, and appropriate
research into cultural properties which are deemed important and in urgent need of restoration and conservation, such as theconservation work at the Takamatsuzuka and Kitora Tumuli.
⑤ We conduct systematic research into the collection, preservation, management and display of tangible cultural properties aswell as into other related educational activities. By promoting the conservation and utilization of these properties, we help toenhance Japanese culture and ensure that these assets are handed down to future generations.

５ Promotion of International Cooperation Related to the Protection of Cultural Properties
International cooperation is essential for the protection of cultural properties, theshared heritage of mankind. To this end, we contribute to Japan’s international efforts by reinforcing associations between national research institutions within Japan,
conducting international research projects together with other nations, and runningtraining programs and dispatching experts abroad as part of efforts to facilitate professional training and technology transfers related to the preservation and conservation of cultural properties. We undertake activities aimed at the safeguarding of endangered intangible cultural heritage (ICH) in the Asia-Pacific region, and endeavor topromote research. We also collect information relating to international trends in thesafeguarding of ICH.
On-site training at archaeological survey of
Hulbuk site in Tajikistan

６ Collection of Reference Materials and Dissemination of Research Outcomes
In addition to the collection, management and preservation of materials related to
cultural properties, we also work to provide wide access to information, research andstudies. For this reason, we promote activities such as（1）the digitalization of material
related to cultural properties,（2）the expansion of specialized archives,（3）theholding of public lectures and international symposia and（4）the improvement of each
institute’s website. We strive to deepen public understanding of research and studies
through the improvement of displays at public facilities such as the Nara Palace Site
Museum, the Fujiwara Palace Site Reference Room and the Asuka Historical Museumof the Nara National Research Institute for Cultural Properties.
Dr. Stanley ABE (professor, Duke University,
United States of America) speaking at the2013 lecture

７ Improving Cultural Property Protection by Assisting Local Public Organizations
We help to raise the knowledge and ability of individuals engaged in the protectionof cultural properties throughout Japan by（1）providing professional and technicalresearch-based assistance and advice to national and local governments and（2）releasing and utilizing information, knowledge, and technologies with regard to cultural properties. We also help to raise the ability of professionals who engage in theprotection of cultural properties, and to educate students and younger staff throughtraining programs for professional leaders or through collaboration with universities.

■Collaboration with Universities

Lecture on a report-writing course○Tokyo University of the Arts: Preventive Conservation Course（Studies on Conservation Environment, Studies on Conservation
Materials）○Graduate School of Human and Environmental Studies, Kyoto University: Department of Cultural Coexistence（Cultural, Regional and Historic Studies on Environment: Studies of Cultural Heritage）○Graduate School of Humanities and Sciences, Nara Women’s University: School of Comparative Culture (Department of Lectures on Cultural History)○Graduate School of Humanities, Kobe University（Joint Lectures on Cultural Resources）

Outline of the National Institutes for Cultural Heritage, 2014 7

Ⅲ Activities of Each Institution
Tokyo National Museum
As Japan’s representative museum in the humanities field, Tokyo National Museum collects,preserves, manages, and displays cultural properties from across Japan and other Asian regions, while also conducting research and providing educational programs.

ZENIYA Masami
Executive Director
Tokyo National Museum■Exhibitions

Tokyo National Museum was established in 1872 and has the longest history among all museums in Japan.
Our collection contains more than 114,000 items, including many National Treasures and Important Cultural Properties. We collect, preserve, restore and display tangible cultural properties from across Japanand other Asian regions. We also conduct research into these properties and promote understanding ofthem through educational activities.
At Tohaku (our nickname for the Tokyo National Museum), April 2014 saw the opening of the Main
Gate Plaza, as part of the redevelopment of the area around the museum’s main entrance. The Main Gate
Plaza incorporates an information desk, ticket counters, a museum shop and a nursing room; this new facility presents a warm welcome to visitors.
In the regular exhibitions, Rooms 15-19 in the Honkan building have had new cases installed withspecial high-transmission, low-reflectance glass, which makes it possible to view the exhibits more clearly, creating an enhanced exhibition environment. In addition, special self-guided tours are now available
using the museum’s “Tohaku Navi” guide application, along with various other new measures to help improve the visitor experience.
Besides its exhibitions and displays, the museum also offers a wide range of different programs including hands-on activities, guided tours, and workshops. Our hands-on art-making workshops for schoolparties help students develop a more in-depth understanding of cultural treasures.
The museum’s special exhibitions for 2014 include “The 800th Memorial of Yosai Roots of Zen: Yosai and the Treasures of Kenninji,” “Mural Paintings of the Kitora Tumulus,” “Treasured Masterpieces fromthe National Palace Museum, Taipei,” “National Treasures of Japan,” “Buddhist Statues from the Michinoku Region,” and the first ever joint special exhibition organized by national museums of Japan, China,
and Korea: “East Asian Elegance: Masterpieces of Ceramics.”
Tohaku will continue its efforts to ensure that everyone who visits the museum, including both children and adults, and overseas visitors from throughout the world, will have an enjoyable, rewarding experience. We sincerely look forward to welcoming you to our museum!

●Regular Exhibitions

The regular exhibitions comprise the core function of the museum’s exhibition activities, displaying works from the museum collection as well
as objects on loan to the museum. Exhibits are rotated periodically, with an approximate total of 300 rotations annually. In the fiscal year of
2014, 7,500 objects are scheduled for display. The regular exhibition galleries are outlined as follows:
HONKAN (Japanese Gallery): Features the Highlights of Japanese Art exhibition, which occupies the 2nd floor, providing an overview ofJapanese art in chronological order from the Jomon to the Edo period. Exhibitions on the 1st floor are categorized by genre and include sculpture and ceramics as well as thematic exhibitions.
TOYOKAN (Asian Gallery): With exhibits on the theme of “A Tour around East Asian Art,” the gallery displays works of art and archeological artifacts from East Asian countries (excluding Japan).
HEISEIKAN: Includes the Japanese Archaeology Gallery (1st floor), which features archaeological objects such as bronze bells andhaniwa clay ornaments from the Paleolithic to the Edo period, as well as a Thematic Exhibition Room (1st floor), whichhouses thematic and educational displays. Closed for renovation work between December 2014 and March 2015.
The Gallery of Horyuji Treasures: E xhibits are selected from over 300 cultural properties donated to the Imperial family by Horyuji temple in Nara.
HYOKEIKAN: In recent years, this gallery has been used as an occasional venue for special exhibitions. The building has been mostly
closed since January 2012.
Kuroda Memorial Hall: This building commemorates one of the most renowned modern Japanese painters, Kuroda Seiki. The building
has been closed since April 2012 for earthquake resistance enhancement renovation, and is scheduled to reopen in January 2015; it will showcase exhibitions of works by Kuroda Seiki.
●Thematic Exhibitions

Thematic exhibitions focus on specific themes and are held as part of the museum’s regular exhibitions. The following are examples of thematic exhibitions scheduled for the fiscal year of 2014:
・Map of Japan created by Ino Tadataka (June 24-August 17, 2014)
・Copies of the Illustrated Scrolls of Kasuga Shrine I: The Beautiful Scenery at Kasuga (July 23-August 31, 2014)
・Zhao Zhiqian's Artworks and the Stele Inscriptions of Northern Wei Dynasty (July 29-September 28, 2014)

Room 18, Japanese Gallery

The 800th Memorial of Yosai
Roots of Zen: Yosai and the Treasuresof Kenninji（March 25-May18, 2014）

8 Outline of the National Institutes for Cultural Heritage, 2014

Specialist working on full
restorations of folding screens

●Special Exhibitions
Special exhibitions are held to present the outcome of our research activities and to meet visitor demands. The following are examples of special
exhibitions scheduled for the fiscal year of 2014:
・The 800th Memorial of Yosai Roots of Zen: Yosai and the Treasures of Kenninji（March 25-May18, 2014）
・Mural Paintings of the Kitora Tumulus（April 22-May18, 2014）
・Treasured Masterpieces from the National Palace Museum, Taipei（June 24-September 15, 2014）
・Joint Special Exhibition of the National Museums of Japan, China and Korea, 2014: East Asian Elegance: Masterpieces of Ceramics（September
20-November 24, 2014）
・National Treasures of Japan（October15-December 7, 2014）
・Touring Exhibition: Cultural Treasures Affected by the Great Eastern Japan Earthquake of 2011(provisional title, January 14-March 15, 2015)
・Buddhist Statues from the Michinoku Region (January 14-April 5, 2015)●Overseas Exhibitions
・Remaking Tradition: Modern Art of Japan（February16-May 11, 2014, The Cleverland Museum of Art, United States of America）
・Ink and Gold: Art of the Kano（February 12-May 10, 2015, The Philadelphia Museum of Art, United States of America）■Collection, Preservation, and Restoration
To systematically introduce the cultures of Asia, with a focus on Japan, we strive to collect cultural properties by purchase, donation and loan. We
also carry out a variety of measures to allow cultural properties that have become fragile over time to be safely exhibited in the future. These measures include improving the environments in our galleries and storage facilities, improving our methods of exhibiting and transporting objects, checking
the conditions of cultural properties, as well as performing about 100 full restorations and 1,000 emergency treatments of works annually. We callthese activities clinical conservation.

■Educational OutreachAs a core museum in Japan, we plan and execute educational programs that serve as models forother museums. In cooperation with schools and volunteers, we also create a variety of educational opportunities.
○Cooperation with schools: School programs (art appreciation programs, work experience programs and programs for schools for the visually impaired)・Teacher training (training sessions organized for the Zenkoubikouken (the national association
for high school art and craft education research), etc.)○Partnerships with universities:
Campus Members System and internship programs for students○Providing opportunities for learning
Lectures, gallery talks, workshops, and exhibition-related events○Displays for educational outreach “Family Galleries”○Volunteer activities
・Assistance with educational and public programs and events; visitor information
・Guided tours of the museum
・Assistance for barrier-free access

School Program: “At the Lecture
Room - My First TNM Experience”

Tactile map operated by volunteers
to provide visitor information■Research
We conduct systematic research on cultural properties originating in Asia, with a focus on Japan.
Research outcomes are reflected in the museum’s collection, preservation and exhibition activities. Research is partially supported by Grants-in-Aid for Scientific Research and other grants for
cultural activities. Research conducted in 2014 includes the following:・Comprehensive research project on painters appointed by the Edo Shogunate, with a focus on
the Itaya family
・Research on the digital archiving of cultural treasures held in museum collections
・Special research projects on calligraphy and decorative art

Special Research Project: “Calligraphy”

Brief History

1872: Opened as the Museum of the Ministry of Education, on the occasion ofJapan’s first public exposition held by the ministry in the Yushima Seido,
Tokyo.
1875: Transferred to the Ministry of the Interior. The museum had eight
exhibition categories at this time: natural products, agriculture &forestation, industrial technology, art, history, education, religion, andarmy and navy.
1882: Moved to the present location, a site formerly occupied by theheadquarters of Kan’eiji temple.
1889: Reorganized as the Imperial Museum under the supervision of theImperial Household Agency.
1900: Renamed the Tokyo Imperial Household Museum.
1909: Hyokeikan established.
1923: Former Honkan building destroyed in the Great Kanto Earthquake.
1925: Natural history collections transferred to the Tokyo Museum of the
Ministry of Education (present-day National Science Museum) and otherinstitutions.
1938: Present Honkan building opened.
1947: Transferred to the Ministry of Education and renamed the National Museum.
1952: Renamed the Tokyo National Museum.
1964: The Gallery of Horyuji Treasures (inaugural building) opened.
1968: Affiliated with the Agency for Cultural Affairs. Toyokan opened.
1999: The Gallery of Horyuji Treasures (current building) and Heiseikan opened.
2001: Became the Independent Administrative Institution National Museums,
Tokyo National Museum.
2007: Integrated into the Independent Administrative Institution National
Institutes for Cultural Heritage as the Tokyo National Museum.

Facilities （m2）Land Area

120,270（including the Kuroda Memorial Hall and the Yanase Villa）
Building Area

Buildings
Exhibition Buildings

22,398Gross Floor Area

Exhibition Area Total
Repository Area Total

72,192
18,1997,836

HonkanBuilding Area
Exhibition Area

6,602
6,573

Gross Floor Area
Repository Area

22,416
4,028

Toyokan

Building Area
Exhibition Area

2,892
4,250

Gross Floor Area
Repository Area

12,531
1,373

Heiseikan

Building Area
Exhibition Area

5,529
4,471

Gross Floor Area
Repository Area

19,393
2,119

The Gallery of Horyuji
Treasures

Building Area
Exhibition Area

1,935
1,462

Gross Floor Area
Repository Area

4,031
291

Hyokeikan※Currently Closed
Building Area
Exhibition Area

1,130
1,179

Gross Floor Area
Repository Area

2,077
0

Kuroda Memorial Hall

※Closed from April 8, 2012
Building Area
724
Exhibition Area
264

Gross Floor Area
Repository Area

1,996
25

Gross Floor Area

9,748

OthersBuilding Area

3,586

Outline of the National Institutes for Cultural Heritage, 2014 9

Kyoto National Museum
Kyoto National Museum collects, preserves, manages, and displays cultural properties,
while also conducting research and providing educational activities. The focus is on
cultural properties from the Heian period to the Edo period, a time when Kyoto was thecapital of Japan.
Kyoto served as Japan’s Imperial capital for over one thousand years, from the relocation of the capital in
794 ,which marked the beginning of the Heian period, right through to the Meiji Restoration. During this long
period, the culture of the Imperial city of Kyoto was, effectively, the mainstream culture of Japan. The Kyoto National Museum showcases numerous cultural assets that testify to the glory of the city’s cultural heritage, andpresents Japan’s traditional culture to the world through various activities. We will continue to work towards
the realization of its great mission of spreading awareness of Japanese traditional culture throughout the
globe. To this end, the museum works to encourage people in all walks of life to take an interest in and to visit
the museum. Our aim is to create a “people-centric museum.” We would like our museum to be a place for education, a place where people can relax, a place for lifelong learning, and also a place that will attract both domestic and overseas tourists.
Our long-awaited new Collections Hall for exhibitions of the museum’s holdings, the Heisei Chishinkan Wing,
has been completed and is set to open in September 2014. We anticipate that, when combined with themuseum’s Special Exhibitions Hall constructed in 1895, the new facilities and functions that the Heisei
Chishinkan provides will help to make the Kyoto National Museum even more popular with visitors.

SASAKI Johei
Executive Director
Kyoto National Museum■ Exhibitions●Regular Exhibitions
The Collections Hall has been reconstructed as the Heisei Chishinkan Wing, and is set to open on
September 13, 2014.
●Special Exhibitions
The following special exhibitions will be held in the Special Exhibition Hall, now renamed as Meiji
Kotokan:・Pilgrimage through Minami Yamashiro: Early Buddhist Art of Southern Kyoto（April 22–June 15,
2014）・Masterpieces of Kōsan-ji Temple: Commemorating the Restoration of the National Treasure Scrollsof Frolicking Animals and Humans（October 7– November 24, 2014）

Heisei Chishinkan

Kano Sanraku and Sansetsu（March 30-May 12, 2013）

Captivating Qing-dynasty Ceramics（October 12–December 15, 2013）

Play（July 13–August 25, 2013）■ Collection, Preservation, and Restoration of Cultural Properties
Since the museum’s establishment, numerous treasures from historical temples and shrines havebeen entrusted to the Kyoto National Museum. Meanwhile, the number of cultural properties in thecollection has increased yearly through purchases and donations, with a focus on art or archaeological items related to Kyoto culture. These cultural properties must be restored and preserved appropriately so that they may be enjoyed and appreciated by future generations. The Conservation Center for Cultural Properties, the first comprehensive restoration facility of cultural properties in Japan,
was established in 1980 to meet that need.

■ Educational Activities

The Conservation Center for Cultural
Properties

We undertake a variety of activities via our exhibitions, our website, and in schools, in order to help people learn more about the museum’s exhibitions and the exhibits included in them, and to stimulate interest and concern for cultural properties.
○Activities held to enhance understanding of exhibition contents and exhibits
・The museum holds lectures and seminars including the Saturday Lectures and Commemorative Lectures, and organizes guided tours for elementary
school and junior high school students（the Museum Children’s Club）, as well as distributing worksheets and explanatory sheets（the “Museum Dictionary”）to elementary school and junior high school students visiting the museum.

10 Outline of the National Institutes for Cultural Heritage, 2014

○Activities held to stimulate interest in cultural properties
・the museum organizes summer lectures, symposiums and other lecture events, as well as arranging visits to elementary schools and junior highschools in Kyoto by “Cultural Property Sommeliers” making use of high-resolution digital reproductions of important works of art（Cultural Heritage
Familiarization Classes）, and organizing workshops.
○The museum works closely with educational institutions, organizing collaborative events.
・T he collaboration between the museum andthe university sector includes the Campus
Members System, the giving of lectures on historical, cultural and sociological topics by ourcurators at the Graduate School of Human andEnvironmental Studies, Kyoto University, andthe training of ”Cultural Property Sommeliers”（instructors who help people learn about thecultural properties in the Kyoto National Museum collection）.

The Museum Children’s Club “Let’s
Have Fun with Art” activity“Cultural Property Sommeliers”
making use of high-resolution digital
reproductions of important works ofart（Cultural Heritage Familiarization
Classes）（August 6 and August 9, 2013）（November 11, 2013）■ Research

Since 1979, the museum has been implementing an ongoing, comprehensive survey of cultural assets owned by shrines and temples in Kyoto andthe vicinity, with the researchers of the museum’s Curatorial Board playing a particularly active role. In 2012-13, we conducted a survey of traditional
Buddhism and Buddhist art in the Zenjōji Temple in Ujitawara Town, and the Juhōji Temple and Shūonan（Ikkyuji Temple）in Kyotonabe City, as part of
the Research Project on the History and Buddhist Culture of the Minami-Yamashiro District, with government funding support in the form of a Grant-inaid for Scientific Research. The results of the survey have been published in a report, as well as being showcased in a special exhibition – Pilgrimage
through Minami-Yamashiro: Early Buddhist Art of Southern Kyoto – from April to June 2014.
We have also made use of Grants-in-Aid for Scientific Research funding to undertake a number of other research projects, including ”The history of
Kyoto makie”, ”Investigation into the demand for Qing ceramics in Japan during the period of national seclusion” and ”Archival research in the medieval
Issai-kyō（complete Buddhist scriptures）.”
Some of the results of the research work undertaken by the curators are published in the Kyoto National Museum Bulletin.

Surveying artworks at Shūonan Temple

Rakugo at the Museum

Outdoor concert（Ontouge）■ Other Activities○Rakugo at the Museum
As part of the museum’s efforts to create a “people-centric museum”, Kyoto National Museum has launched the “Rakugo at the Museum” project
whereby performances of rakugo（traditional comic storytelling which originated in Kyoto）are held several times a year, highlighting seasonal themes.
Other concerts are also being planned.

Brief History

1889: Established as the Imperial Museum of Kyoto under the supervision of
the Imperial Household Agency
1897: First exhibition held
1900: Renamed as the Imperial Household Museum of Kyoto
1924: Donated to Kyoto City; renamed as the Imperial Gift Museum of Kyoto
1952: Transferred to the national government; renamed as the Kyoto National Museum
1966: Establishment of The Collections Hall
1968: Affiliated with the Agency for Cultural Affairs
1969: The Special Exhibition Hall, Main Gate, ticket booth and fences aredesignated as an Important Cultural Property under the name of theFormer Imperial Museum of Kyoto
1973: The Saturday lecture series starts
1980: The Conservation Center for Cultural Properties established
2001: The South Gate constructed as part of the 100th Year Anniversary
Hall construction project（tentative name）
2001: Transformed into the Independent Administrative Institution National
Museum, Kyoto National Museum
2007: Integrated into the Independent Administrative Institution National Institutes for Cultural Heritage, as Kyoto National Museum
2009–Reconstruction begins on the former Collection Hall
2013–Construction of Heisei Chishinkan Wing（new Collection Hall）is completed in August
2014–Heisei Chishinkan Wing is scheduled to open in September

Facilities

（m2）

Land Area				

Buildings

Building Area

13,517Gross Floor Area

Exhibition Area Total
Repository Area Total

Exhibition Buildings

53,182
31,828
5,657
5,421

Special Exhibition Hall

Building Area
Exhibition Area

3,015
2,070

Gross Floor Area
Repository Area

3,015
803

The Collections Hall

Building Area
Exhibition Area

5,568
3,587

Gross Floor Area
Repository Area

17,9972,710

Administration Building

Building Area

590

Gross Floor Area

1,954

Materials Building

Building Area

414

Gross Floor Area

1,125

Conservation Center for
Cultural Properties
Building Area

728

Gross Floor Area

2,856Technical Materials
CenterBuilding Area

101

Gross Floor Area

304

East Repository

1,084
Building Area
			

Gross Floor Area
Repository Area

1,996
1,412

North Repository

310
Building Area
			

Gross Floor Area
Repository Area

682
496

OthersBuilding Area

Gross Floor Area

1,899

1,707

Outline of the National Institutes for Cultural Heritage, 2014 11

Nara National Museum
Nara National Museum collects, preserves, manages and displays cultural properties,
while also conducting research and providing educational programs. The focus is on
Buddhist art and the cultural properties of Nara.
Since its opening in 1895, with the cooperation of temples and shrines of the Nara region, the Nara National Museum has been engaged in collecting, preserving, and conducting research and educational programson cultural properties mainly associated with Buddhism. Through these activities, the museum has introduced
to the public the high artistic value and historical background of Japanese Buddhist culture, unique in its fusion
with indigenous beliefs. Keeping in mind that various cultural properties are tied together in an organic wholewith the historical and cultural landscape of Nara, we will continuously strive to promote the museum’s international activities and the more effective use of information technology in order to reach a wide range of people
as a conveyor of Nara’s culture.

■Exhibitions●Buddhist Art Exhibitions

YUYAMA Ken'ichi
Executive Director
Nara National Museum●Feature Exhibitions

As well as special exhibitions and feature exhibitions, the museum also exhibits distinguished masterworks of
Buddhist art including many designated as National Treasures and Important Cultural Properties. The Nara Buddhist Sculpture Hall features ”Masterpiece Exhibition,” which displays exceptional Buddhist statues representative of the history of Japanese sculpture from the Asuka to the Kamakura period, dating from around the 7th
century to the mid-14th century. The West Wing houses ”Masterpiece of Buddhist Art” which introduces theessence of Japanese Buddhist art through selected items of painting, decorative art, calligraphy and artifacts.
In addition, thematic exhibitions from the permanent collection are occasionally held for themes that lie outside
a specific genre.

Feature exhibitions are medium-scale exhibitions organized to explore a specific theme.
・On-Matsuri and the Sacred Art of Kasuga (December 9, 2014-January 18, 2015)
・Treasures of Todaiji’s Omizutori Ritual (February 7-March 15, 2015)●Special Exhibitions
・The Buddhist Icons of Kamakura: Realism and Exoticism (April 5-June 1, 2014)
・Special Exhibition: Commemorating the National Treasure Designation of 70,000 Historic Documents and Sacred Texts of Daigoji Temple The Universeof Daigoji-Esoteric Buddhist Imagery and Sacred Texts (July 19-September 15, 2014)
・The 66th Annual Exhibition of Shōsō-in Treasures (Late October-Early November, 2014) (Tentative)

Special Exhibition: Yearning for the Pure
Land Paradise: The Faith and History of
Taimadera Temple（1250th Anniversaryof the Weaving of the Taima Mandala)Special Exhibition: Faith in Form andFigure:Encountering Buddhist Images

Special Exhibition: The 65th Annual
Exhibition of Shōsō-in Treasures(October 26-November 11, 2013)(July 20-September 16, 2013)(April 6-June 2, 2013)■Collection, Preservation and Restoration ofCultural Properties
We strive to collect tangible cultural properties, which are valuable assets for the people of Japan,
by purchase, donation and loan.
We work to maintain the environment for our collections with meticulous care, by constantly controlling the temperature and humidity in our exhibition and storage areas.
Most Japanese cultural properties are made of extremely fragile materials such as paper andwood. Therefore, the museum must take proactive steps to preserve these objects for future generations. For this reason, in 2002 we established the Conservation Center for Cultural Properties tohandle restoration projects.

12 Outline of the National Institutes for Cultural Heritage, 2014

Conservation of lacquer by restorers

■Educational Programs
We promote a variety of educational programs to increase the understanding of the importanceof cultural properties.
①Collection and distribution of information and materials concerning cultural properties②Programs for students Ex: World heritage classes for fifth graders in Nara City schools andeducational lectures for teachers③Lectures and seminars Ex: Public lectures, Sunday museum talks, summer seminar series, theShōsō-in academic symposium, and international symposia④Cooperation with universities and colleges Ex: Campus Members System, internship programs,interview classes at the Open University of Japan, and joint lectures with Nara Women’s University and Kobe University⑤Promotion of volunteer activities

Volunteer guided tour in the Museum
garden■Research and International Activities
We consider research into cultural properties to be the most important activity supporting the foundations of the Nara National Museum as a research institution. Reflected in the museum’s masterpiece
exhibitions and special exhibitions, the results of research are utilized in our exhibition activities. In fiscal year 2014 the Nara National Museum will conduct the following thematic research:①Research on collection items, items on loan to the museum, and related items②Research on Buddhist paintings using advanced optical technologies for the creation of reproductions③Comprehensive research on the Heian period Great Perfection of Wisdom Sutra④Comprehensive survey of Buddhist arts and crafts⑤Research on artifacts excavated from kofun tumuli and from ancient tombs⑥Research to accompany special exhibitions, etc.
⑦Research on the art of sculpture in ancient and medieval Nara
⑧Research on Buddhist art using optical technologies, conducted in collaboration with the National
Research Institute for Cultural Properties, Tokyo.
⑨Research into the effects on cultural properties of storage area environments, exhibition spaces
and display cases⑩Research on collections and objects loaned to the museum, from the perspective of cultural asset
restoration⑪Research on collections and objects loaned to the museum, from the perspective of conservation
science⑫Research to contribute to educational programs in history and traditional culture,⑬Theoretical and practical research into the formation of cultural heritage archives

Shōsō-in Academic Symposium

Research activities

Photography of cultural properties

Brief History

1889: Established as the Imperial Museum of Nara under the supervision of
the Imperial Household Ministry
1895: First exhibition held
1900: Renamed as the Imperial Household Museum of Nara
1914: Establishment of the Shōsō-in Department
1947: Supervision transferred to the Ministry of Education
1950: Affiliated with the National Commission for the Protection of Cultural
Properties
1952: Renamed as the Nara National Museum
1968: Affiliated with the Agency for Cultural Affairs
1972: Completion of the West Wing
1980: Establishment of the Buddhist Art Library
1995: Celebration of the museum’s centennial anniversary
1997: Completion of the East Wing and the lower level passageway
2000: Completion of the Conservation Center for Cultural Properties
2001: Becomes the Independent Administrative Institution National Museum,
Nara National Museum
2007: Integrated into the Independent Administrative Institution National
Institutes for Cultural Heritage, as the Nara National Museum

Facilities

（m2）

Land Area				

Buildings

Building Area

Exhibition Buildings

6,769

Gross Floor Area

Exhibition Area Total
Repository Area Total

78,76019,116
4,079
1,558

Nara Buddhist Sculpture
Hall

Building Area
Exhibition Area

1,512
1,261

Gross Floor Area

1,512

Ritual Bronzes Gallery

Building Area
Exhibition Area

341
470

Gross Floor Area

664

East Wing

Building Area
Exhibition Area

1,825
875

Gross Floor Area
Repository Area

6,389
1,394

West Wing

Building Area
Exhibition Area

1,649
1,473

Gross Floor Area

5,396

Buddhist Art Library

Building Area

718

Gross Floor Area

718

Conservation Center for
Cultural Properties

Building Area

319

Gross Floor Area

1,036

Lower Level
Passageway

Gross Floor Area

2,152

Repository Area

164

405

Gross Floor Area

1,249

OthersBuilding Area

Outline of the National Institutes for Cultural Heritage, 2014 13

Kyushu National Museum
Kyushu National Museum collects, preserves, manages and displays cultural properties, while also conducting research and providing educational programs. The focus ison cultural properties related to Japan’s cultural exchanges with other Asian regions.
Kyushu, the westernmost main island of Japan, which is situated close to continental Asia, has been thestage of vibrant exchanges of people and objects since ancient times. Delegations from overseas were welcomed at the Dazaifu Government Office, which was situated near the museum’s current location. This historical background, and the aspirations of the people of Kyushu, led to the establishment, in 2005 in Dazaifu City,
Fukuoka, of a national museum that focuses on the development of Japanese culture in relation to the surrounding Asian regions. Next year, Kyushu National Museum will celebrate the 10th anniversary of its founding.
The Museum has been visited by more than 10 million people, with particularly rapid growth in the numberof visitors from China and Korea in recent years. We will continue our efforts to further mutual understanding
between Asian cultures through research and other activities, while interacting with the local community as a“living museum.”

MIWA Karoku
Executive Director
Kyushu National Museum■Exhibitions●Cultural Exchange Exhibitions（Regular Exhibitions）

In order to provide our visitors with opportunities to experience new works each time they visit, the Cultural Exchange Exhibitions rooms hold thematic exhibitions which change periodically. We also strive to create more dynamic
and in-depth exhibitions through the usage of videos and hands-on displays.

●Feature Exhibitions（Thematic Exhibitions）

Cultural Exchange Exhibition（Regular exhibition）

We also feature creative displays based on regionally specific themes in the Cultural Exchange Exhibition Rooms.
Thematic exhibitions scheduled for fiscal year 2014 are as follows:・Masterpieces of Early Modern Painting from the Kyushu National Museum（February 25– April 6: April 8– May18,
2014）
・Seeking enlightenment to the truth ― Journey of Mumu Issei in China（May 27–July 6, 2014）
・All-Japan High School Archaeological Legacy（July 15 –September 23, 2014）
・Dainehan: Paintings of Great Nirvana（January 14–February 15, 2015）
・KAKIEMON-Tradition of technique and beauty-〈a tentative name〉（March 3–May 10, 2015）●Special Exhibitions
Special exhibitions are based on themes approached fromvarious viewpoints through distinguished objects fromJapan and around the world. As a place to admire beauty and enjoy the learning experience, our aim is to provide exhibitions that both newcomers and experts can enjoy alike. Special exhibitions scheduled for fiscal year 2014 are as
follows:
・Precious Treasures of the KONOE Family（April 15–June 8, 2015）
・Admired from Afar: Masterworks of Japanese Painting from The Cleveland Museum of Art（July 8–August 31, 2014）
・Treasured Masterpieces from the National Palace Museum, Taipei（October 7–November 30, 2014）
・The Age of Dramatic Interaction in East Asia- Between Ancient Japan and Baekje.（January 1–March 1, 2015）

Science in Edo Period -The Path ofWestern Studies in Takeo（April 16–July 7, 2013）■Collection, Preservation and Restoration of Cultural Properties●Collection

We collect objects from the fields of art, archaeology, history and ethnology to provide an advanced overview of
how cultural exchange between Japan and Asian countries occurred.
We proactively seek donations and loaned objects to enhance the quality and quantity of our exhibits.

●Preservation

The Great Story of Vietnam（April
16–June 9, 2013）

The museum’s storage area is located in the center of the building within a large double-layered box, the structureof which prevents exposure to the outer environment. The thermo-hydrostat air-conditioning system keeps thetemperature and humidity levels constant. In addition to mechanical technologies, the facility uses locally procured
cedar panels and humidity-controlling materials for the walls and ceiling to keep humidity levels highly stabilized.
The museum building is engineered to protect both cultural properties and human lives from earthquakes. The
quake-absorbing structure installed on the ground surface prevents direct transmission of seismic shocks to thebuilding itself, which consequently reduces the effects of tremors and protects cultural properties from damage.

●Restoration

The six conservation and restoration facilities at the museum（respectively specializing in: the production of paperand other materials used for repair; historical materials, calligraphy and documents; paintings; sculpture; archaeological artifacts; and lacquerware）work in collaboration with the museum’s Science Division, combining traditional methods with scientific research technology. The staff, well experienced in the restoration of Japan’s designated culturalproperties, conduct projects actively through discussions with curators from fields such as history, art, decorative
arts, archaeology and other related areas. The latest technological equipment such as fluorescent X-ray analyzing
devices and X-ray CT scanners are also utilized in the scientific analysis of cultural properties to be restored.

14 Outline of the National Institutes for Cultural Heritage, 2014

■Education and Exchange Activities●Education① Interactive Learning Center for Asian and European Culture: “AJIPPA” AJIPPA offers educational experiences of various ethnic cultures that havehistorically enjoyed interaction with Japan. We Develop educational kits and visitor experience programs as well as programs in collaboration withother educational institutions.
② Educational programs in association with special exhibitions and Cultural Exchange Exhibitions（regular exhibitions）
・Programs to improve exhibition understanding
・Conducting of workshops
・Production of guidebooks③ Loans of “Kyu-Packs” - educational kits to be used in secondary schools④ Campus Members System to strengthen ties with universities and other higher education institutions⑤ Educational activities based on “Kyuhaku picture books” for children⑥ Supporting volunteer activities
We encourage various volunteer activities at the museum in areas including exhibit explanations,educational programs, guided tours（including behind the scenes ”Backyard Tours”）, the environment,
events, and organizing research materials.

Volunteer Program: Kyushu
National Museum Children’s
Festival●Exchange Activities① Implementing exchange projects in cooperation with local enterprises for more effective utilization of museum facilities.
② Promoting exchange among Asian museums
・Conclusion of cultural exchange agreements with the Buyeo National Museum（Korea）, the Gonguju National Museum（Korea）, The Korea National
University of Cultural Heritage, the Nanjing Museum（China）, the Museum of Inner Mongolia（China）, Chinese Center for Cultural Exchange, the Vietnam National Museum of History, the Fine Arts Department of the Ministry of Culture（Thailand）③Hosting international symposia
・Symposium: Falling in Love with Vietnam（October 5, 2013）■Research Studies

Research studies

The results of research concerning our main theme of “Cultural Exchange between Japan and Asian Countries” and scientific research on conservation and restoration of cultural properties are actively utilized for ourcollection, preservation and exhibition activities. Part of our research is financially supported by the government-funded Grants-in-Aid for Scientific Research（KAKENHI）and other private grants for cultural activities.
・Technical and structural analysis of bronze vessels, sculpture and lacquer ware etc. through X-ray CT scanner data
・Research on the preservation and effective utilization of underwater archeological sites
・Research on cultural exchanges between Japan and Asian countries
・Basic research on building a Citizen-cooperative IPM system as a means to Museum Risk Management■Publications
The museum produces publications to promote a wider understanding of our activities.
i） Tofu-seisei（Research Bulletin）: Research achievements of the Kyushu National Museum are compiled in a booklet（published annually）
ii） Asiage（Visual guide）: A guide providing information on Cultural Exchange Exhibitions（regular exhibitions）in an accessible formatiii）Asiage（Quarterly magazine）: An information magazine focusing on Cultural Exchange Exhibition and special exhibitions（published four times a year）
iv）	Kyuhaku Picture Book Series: The museum produces original picture books for children about Japanese history and culture written in an accessible
format to encourage understanding and familiarity.

Brief History

1994: The Agency for Cultural Affairs（ACA）organizes the Committee toInvestigate the Establishment of a Museum Based on a New Concept（“the Committee”）.
1996: ACA decides the new museum should be established as the Kyushu
National Museum（provisional title）in Dazaifu City, Fukuoka Prefecture.
1997: The Committee draws up the Basic Statement of Policy for the Kyushu National Museum.
1999: The Committee formulates the Basic Plan for the Kyushu National
Museum.
2000: ACA, Fukuoka Prefecture, and the Kyushu National Museum Promotion
Foundation（“the Foundation”）jointly formulate the Basic Construction
Design for the museum.
The Experts Conference for the Establishment of the Kyushu National
Museum, set up jointly by the ACA and Fukuoka Prefecture, formulates
the Regular Exhibitions Plan.
2001: ACA, Fukuoka Prefecture and the Foundation complete the Basic Exhibition Design.
The Independent Administrative Institution National Museum（“the National Museum”）establishes a preparatory office for the establishmentof the Kyushu National Museum.
2002: ACA, Fukuoka Prefecture and the Foundation start joint construction
work（the first year of a three-year plan）.
2003: The National Museum and Fukuoka Prefecture start the preparation of
the exhibitions（the first year of a two-year plan）
2004: ACA, Fukuoka Prefecture and the Foundation complete the construction work.
ACA, the National Museum and Fukuoka Prefecture formally announce
that the new museum would be called the “Kyushu National Museum.”

2005: The National Museum and Fukuoka Prefecture complete the work on
the preparation of the exhibitions.
The National Museum formally establishes the Kyushu National Museum.
Kyushu National Museum opens to the public on October 16.
2007: Integrated into the Independent Administrative Institution National
Institutes for Cultural Heritage as the Kyushu National Museum
2008: The Japan-China-ROK Trilateral Summit is held at Kyushu National
Museum2012: The cumulative number of visitors to Kyushu National Museum reaches the 10 million mark.

Facilities
Land Area
Buildings（m2）
Institution Area
Building Area
Institution Area

Exhibition and Reposito- Exhibition Area Total
Prefectural Areary Area
Repository Area Total
Prefectural Area

10,798
14,623
9,300
5,444
1,375
4,518
1,335

Prefectural Area

166,477
155,679

Gross Floor Area
Prefectural Area
Shared Area

30,675
5,780
15,595

Institution Area 3,844
Shared Area 225
Institution Area 2,744
Shared Area 439

The land and buildings are co-owned by Fukuoka Prefecture and the institution.

Outline of the National Institutes for Cultural Heritage, 2014 15

National Research Institute for Cultural Properties, Tokyo

KAMEI Nobuo

The National Research Institute for Cultural Properties, Tokyo, in its role of supporting the work of the government in the administration of cultural properties, conducts fundamental, systematic, up-to-date and practical research on diverse types of cultural properties. Furthermore, it actively disseminates the results of suchresearch, provides guidance and advice to local public organizations, and makes an international contribution by
assisting neighboring countries with the conservation and restoration of cultural properties.
The three priority areas on which the Institute is focusing particularly in its survey and research work areoutlined below: Firstly, the Institute is working to build up comprehensive cultural properties archives from theresearch results, basic databases and source materials that the Institute has collected over the years. Secondly, in the conservation and restoration field, the Institute promotes coordinated projects with the National Institutes for Cultural Heritage, of which the Institute forms a part, with respect to surveys and research relating
to the preservation, restoration and publication of museum materials. Thirdly, in relation to intangible cultural
heritage, the Institute collects basic data and materials, mainly on folk performing arts and folk techniques, andmakes them available to the public.
With regard to international cooperation, the head office of the Japan Consortium for International Cooperation in Cultural Heritage, a collaborative organization for promoting coordinated and effective projects, has been
established in the Institute; the Consortium promotes conservation and restoration of tangible cultural properties, or cultural heritage, outside of Japan, such as historical remains and architecture.

Director General
National ResearchInstitute for Cultural
Properties, Tokyo■Organization●Department of Art Research, Archives and Information Systems
The Department of Art Research, Archives and Information Systems is responsible for the information systems for the entire institute and the institute’s public relations. In order to further
the archiving of research on cultural properties, it also collects, stores and organizes materials
and images concerning cultural properties and makes them available to the public, and also
promotes effective dissemination of information. It is simultaneously engaged in investigating
research issues in art history and aims to establish a new discipline in the field of art referencematerials.

Study and photography of Taima-dera
Temple’s “Backboard Mandala”●Department of Intangible Cultural Heritage
The Department of Intangible Cultural Heritage conducts basic research useful for the conservation and transmission of Japan’s intangible cultural heritage, which includes intangible
cultural properties, intangible folk-cultural properties, and techniques for preserving culturalproperties. Audiovisual documentation, a significant Method for the conservation of intangible
cultural heritage, is conducted and new methods of documentation are also investigated.

Recording of rakugo by Mr. HAYASHIYA
Shojaku●Center for Conservation Science and Restoration Techniques
The Center for Conservation Science and Restoration Techniques uses scientific methods tostudy and evaluate environmental conditions and characteristics of cultural properties. It also
conducts research into materials, manufacturing techniques and the surrounding conditionsof cultural properties in order to develop and evaluate necessary materials and techniques fortheir restoration, and develop methods for their maintenance after restoration. Moreover, thecenter works closely with those who are actually engaged in the conservation and restorationof cultural properties and their owners.

On-site analysis of a metal object by ahandheld X-ray fluorescence spectrometer●Japan Center for International Cooperation in Conservation
The Japan Center for International Cooperation in Conservation renders assistance to countries such as Afghanistan and other Asian countries for their conservation undertakings, including capacity building, as well as the promoting of ties with other institutions around the world
through research meetings, and the collecting and disseminating of information on culturalproperties and systems for their protection.
The center is commissioned with the management of the office of the Japan Consortium forInternational Cooperation in Cultural Heritage.

A workshop on the conservation of urushi(Japanese lacquer ware) in Germany

16 Outline of the National Institutes for Cultural Heritage, 2014

■Seminars, Advice and Guidance
The National Research Institute for Cultural Properties, Tokyo conducts various seminars and provides advice and guidance for the protection
and utilization of cultural properties. Seminars and projects include International Courses on Conservation of Japanese Paper, Training for Museum
Curators in Charge of Conservation, Advice on safeguarding Intangible Cultural Properties, Inspection Assistance and Advice on the Museum
Environments, and Investigation and Advice Concerning Conservation of Cultural Properties.

International Course on Conservationof Japanese Paper

Local Workshop on Materials Conservation in Yamanashi■Graduate School Education and Public Lectures
The National Research Institute for Cultural Properties, Tokyo provides the results of its research to the public in
the hope of nurturing the next generation of experts and raising public interest. The institute has collaborated with
the Tokyo University of the Arts since 1995 and is in charge of its Preventive Conservation Course. In the public
lectures, the Department of Art Research, Archives and Information Systems, and the Department of Intangible
Cultural Heritage present their research achievements every year.

■Dissemination of Research Information

Leaflet for the 8th Public
Lecture of the Department
of Intangible Cultural Heritage “Record of Kamigata
Rakugo of the Early Showa
Period”

The National Research Institute for Cultural Properties, Tokyo is
engaged in actively communicating with the public and making theresults of its diverse activities accessible, including those of researchand international cooperation. Publications such as the Annual Report,
Profile and TOBUNKENNEWS are published, and the website of theinstitute is updated constantly.

Glass Plate Negative Database（http://www.tobunken.go.jp/
materials/glass）■Publications

The National Research Institute for Cultural Properties, Tokyo publishes periodicals such as The Bijutsu Kenkyu (The Journal of Art Studies), Yearbook of Japanese Art, Research and Reports on Intangible Cultural Heritage and Science for Conservation. It also publishes the results of various additional research studies

Yearbook of Japanese Art

Brief History

Report of the 8th Conference on the Study ofIntangible Folk Cultural
Properties

1930: Established as The Institute of Art Research, an auxiliary organizationof the Imperial Academy of Fine Arts
1947: Affiliated with the National Museum
1950: Affiliated with the National Commission for Protection of Cultural Properties
1952: Reorganized and renamed as Tokyo Research Institute of Cultural
Properties
1954: Renamed as Tokyo National Institute of Cultural Properties
1968: Affiliated with the Agency for Cultural Affairs
2000: Construction of new offices
2001: Restructured as the Independent Administrative Institution, National
Research Institute for Cultural Properties, Tokyo
2007: Integrated into the Independent Administrative Institution National
Institutes for Cultural Heritage, as National Research Institute for Cultural Properties, Tokyo

Science for Conservation

Facilities
Land Area
Building（m2）		
Building Area
Gross Floor Area

4,181

2,258
10,516

Outline of the National Institutes for Cultural Heritage, 2014 17

Nara National Research Institute for Cultural Properties
Nara National Research Institute for Cultural Properties, an organization that engages in the study of tangible cultural heritage, has conducted excavation research at the Nara and Fujiwara Palace sites, investigatedcultural objects (such as historical documents, ancient architecture and gardens) and has also made efforts
to preserve the Asuka region through its research and exhibition programs. These activities contribute to academic exchanges,international support and the study of cultural heritage in Japan and abroad. For example,
they have resulted in ongoing joint research partnerships with institutes in China and Korea. We also endeavor
to develop new excavation technology and research methods as well as to provide technical training for local
government specialists.
Our methods of preservation, restoration and maintenance that we developed to protect historical sites are
not only appreciated by researchers in Japan, but are also utilized in excavations globally. Our research activities are supported by our own interdisciplinary joint research in different fields. It is our responsibility to maximize the results of our efforts in the research and preservation of cultural properties.

MATSUMURA Keiji
Director General
Nara National ResearchInstitute for Cultural
Properties●Department of Planning and Coordination
The work of the Department of Planning and Coordination is assigned to five sections: the Planning and Coordination Section, the Data and Information Section, the International Cooperation
Section, the Exhibition Section and the Photography Section. These sections plan and organize
professional training programs for cultural heritage workers at local government agencies and other organizations, organize data systems and enhance related databases, arrange international joint
research projects and engage in international cooperation on archaeological sites, exhibit research
results at the Nara Palace Site Museum, and carry out photography and the development of newtechnology.

Nara Palace Site Museum Summer
Special Exhibition●Department of Cultural Heritage
The Department of Cultural Heritage consists of the Historical Document Section, the Architectural History Section, the Cultural Landscape Section and the Site Stabilization Section. Thesesections conduct specialist and comprehensive research in the following areas respectively: calligraphy, ancient books and historical documents; historical and traditional architecture; culturallandscapes; and the maintenance of archaeological sites and historical gardens. The research
activities conducted by each section contribute, in a practical manner, to governmental activities
concerning the protection of cultural properties, such as the designation, selection, registration,conservation and management of properties. The Department also collaborates with, and provides
advice for, local public entities in regard to cultural property administration.

Survey of Ancient Materials in the
Kondo Main Hall of the Horyuji Temple●Department of Imperial Palace Sites Investigations
The Department of Imperial Palace Sites Investigations is organized in five sections: the Archaeology
Sections 1, 2 and 3, the History Section, and the Architectural Feature Section. These sections
undertake interdisciplinary research on the basis of archeological excavations of ancient palaces, temples,
tombs located in the Heijo area and in the Asuka and Fujiwara area. The research results are publicizedthrough presentations, reports and exhibitions; this research also contributes to the preservation andeffective utilization of these archeological remains.

【Department of Imperial Palace Sites Investigations (Heijo)】
This Department is in charge of excavation research at the Nara Palace Site, where the imperial
palace and government offices were located in the Nara period (710-784). Systematic research has
been in progress since 1959 and over one-third of the 130 hectare site has been excavated andsurveyed so far. The finds from excavation at the sites of the palace and ancient temples, such asarchitectural remains, wooden strips (used for writing messages on), earthenware vessels and ceramictiles, have been verified with reference to historical records; this empirical research on the Nara period
undertaken by the Department has won widespread plaudits. The Department also provides the resultsof its research on the Nara Palace Site to the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism(MLIT) as basic data to support the maintenance of the national Nara Palace Site Historical Park.

Excavation of the First Imperial
Audience Hall Compound【Department of Imperial Palace Sites Investigations (Asuka and Fujiwara)】
The Department is in charge of excavation research on the Asuka and Fujiwara area that
constituted Japan’s political, economic and cultural center during the period between the 7th
and early 8th centuries when the Japanese state was coming into being. The sites in the Asuka
district include: palaces and the residences of elite clans; the sites of temples such as Asukadera
temple (the oldest Buddhist temple in Japan); a workshop that produced ancient coins andglass; a water clock; and various tombs. To the north lies the site of the Fujiwara capital, the firstlarge-scale castle city in Japan, covering a vast area of more than five square kilometers. Theinterdisciplinary, empirical research being conducted based on the excavations of these sites
in the Asuka and Fujiwara areas has made a major contribution towards helping to clarify thehistorical record of the Asuka period.

18 Outline of the National Institutes for Cultural Heritage, 2014

Excavation of the Halls of State
Compound at the Fujiwara Palace Site

●Center for Archaeological Operations
The Center for Archaeological Operations consists of four sections, which undertake the research activities noted below. The Conservation Science Section studies and develops analyticalmethods for investigating the material and structure of archaeological objects in order to conduct
appropriate conservation and restoration work. The Environmental Archaeology Section studies
the remains of flora and fauna in order to simulate ancient environments and nature. The Dating
Section is advancing research in how to apply the methods of dendrochronology to the fields of archaeology, architectural history etc. The Archaeological Research Methodology Section researches technology for studying cultural properties as well as for measuring and surveying archaeological sites, and also undertakes disaster archeology research.

Survey using ground-penetrating radar (GPR) at the Todaiji temple
West Pagoda site
●Asuka Historical Museum
The Asuka Historical Museum, a facility displaying historical materials from the Asuka area, wasestablished in 1975. The museum’s regular exhibitions display items excavated from palaces,stone structures, tombs and temple sites. The reconstructed portion of the eastern cloister of
Yamadadera temple and objects excavated around its site are also exhibited. The museum’s special exhibitions, held twice a year in spring and autumn, feature the unearthed cultural propertiesof the Asuka area and explore the history of the Asuka period. Special Feature Exhibitions are heldin summer and winter to showcase the multi-faceted research achievements of the Nara National
Research Institute for Cultural Properties.

Asuka Historical Museum●International Academic Exchange
Nara National Research Institute for Cultural Properties contributes to international exchange
and collaboration through activities such as joint research, exchange of researchers, technicaltraining, and conservation and restoration. It also participates in international cooperation projects
conducted by other institutions such as ACCU (Asia-Pacific Cultural Centre for UNESCO).
Ongoing projects are as follows: (1) Joint research with the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences
into the Luoyang site, an ancient capital of the Han and Wei dynasties; (2) Joint research with theArchaeological Institute of Henan Province, China into the Huangye and Baihe kiln sites located in
the city of Gongyi; (3) Joint research with the Archaeological Institute of Liaoning Province, China
into sites of Former Yan, Later Yan and Northern Yan; (4) A comparative study with the National
Research Institute of Cultural Heritage, Korea, of ancient capitals of Japan and Korea, together
with human resource exchanges at excavation projects; (5) Research and a conservation project,undertaken with Cambodia’s Authority for the Protection and Management of Angkor and the Region of Siem Reap (APSARA), at the Western Prasat Top, one of the historical sites of Angkor, together with human resource development; (6) Research exchange with Columbia University in the
U.S.A. We have also been commissioned by the Agency for Cultural Affairs to undertake collaborative research on excavated materials with Vietnam Forestry University as an exchange program.
Furthermore, we have a responsibility for archeological technology transfer and personnel training
for a project that the National Research Institute for Cultural Properties, Tokyo has been commissioned to undertake as an exchange program with Myanmar.
In addition, we are collaborating with the Institute on a conservation project and human resource
development work at the Bamiyan site in Afghanistan, along with activities in Central Asian countries to support the registration of sites along the Silk Road as World Heritage sites.

Brief History

1952: Nara Cultural Properties Research Institute (consisting of the General
Affairs Division, the Historical Research Division, the Architecture
Research Division, and the Art Research Division) is established at 50
Kasugano-cho, Nara City, as an auxiliary organization of the National
Commission for the Protection of Cultural Properties
1954: Renamed as the Nara National Cultural Properties Research Institute1960: Heijo Palace Site Investigation Office opened at the Nara Palace Site
in Sakihigashi-machi, Nara City
1963: Heijo Palace Site Investigation Division is established
1968: Affiliated with the Agency for Cultural Affairs (established 1968)
1970: Nara Palace Site Museum opened
1973: Finance Section, Asuka/Fujiwara Palace Site Investigation Division,and Asuka Historical Museum established
1974: Department of General Affairs and the Center for Archaeological
Operations established
1975: Asuka Historical Museum opened at Okuyama in Asuka village, Nara
1980: Art Research Division transferred to the Research Center for Buddhist
Art, Nara National Museum
1980: Relocated to Nijo-cho, Nara City. Heijo Palace Site Investigation
Division and the Center for Archaeological Operations are transferred
together to the new site
1988: New headquarters building of Asuka/Fujiwara Palace Site Investigation
Division built at 94-1, Kinomoto-cho, Kashihara City
2001: Restructured as the Independent Administrative Institution National
Research Institute for Cultural Properties, Nara
2007: Integrated into the Independent Administrative Institution National
Institutes for Cultural Heritage, as the Nara National ResearchInstitute for Cultural Properties
2013: Relocated to temporary premises located at 247-1 Saki-cho, Nara
City, while the original head office site is being redeveloped.

International project for conservationof Western Prasat Top, Angkor

Facilities

（m2）
Land Area

Building

Area of Headquarters
8,860

Building Area
Gross Floor Area
Currently under reconstruction

Area of Nara Palace Site
MuseumLocated on government-owned Building Arealand, rent fees waivered Gross Floor Area

13,32821,395

Area of Department of Imperial
Palace Sites Investigations(Asuka and Fujiwara)

Building Area
20,515 Gross Floor Area

6,016
9,477

Area of Asuka HistoricalMuseumBuilding Area
17,093 Gross Floor Area

2,657
4,404

Outline of the National Institutes for Cultural Heritage, 2014 19

International Research Centre for Intangible
Cultural Heritage in the Asia-Pacific Region (IRCI)At the UNESCO General Conference of October 2009, authorization was given to Japan to establish an International Centre for intangible cultural heritage in the Asia-Pacific region. After the Japanese government concluded an agreement with UNESCO in August 2010, the International Research Centre for Intangible Cultural
Heritage in the Asia-Pacific Region was founded in Sakai City, in October 2011.
The International Research Centre for Intangible Cultural Heritage in the Asia-Pacific Region (IRCI) is a Category 2 centre under the auspices of UNESCO established to support researchers and institutes engaged inresearch for the safeguarding of intangible cultural heritage (ICH) in the Asia Pacific region.
ICH is now endangered in many countries throughout the world. IRCI contributes to the safeguarding of ICH
through research to ensure that the children of the future will still be able to enjoy rich traditional culture thathas been passed down through the generations.
（http://www.irci.jp）

ARATA Akio
Director-General
International ResearchCentre for Intangible
Cultural Heritage in the
Asia-Pacific Region■Activities in FY2013
IRCI’s objectives are to promote UNESCO Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH) and its implementation, and toenhance the safeguarding of ICH through instigating, facilitating, and coordinating researches in the Asia-Pacific region. To achieve these objectives,
IRCI works in cooperation with universities, research institutions, museums, community representatives and other governmental and non-governmentalorganizations in Japan and elsewhere in the region, while assisting notably developing countries in the Asia-Pacific region in implementing effective
safeguarding measures.
IRCI is currently conducting the following activities, which are in line with UNESCO’s strategic goals and in conformity with the endorsement of
IRCI’s Governing Board:●Activities A: Facilitating research into methodologies and practices related to the safeguarding of endangered ICH, such as community-based
documentation and legal systems
1. E
 ndangered Traditional Handicrafts in Post-Conflict States (Sri Lanka)T he project aims to promote the transmission of handicraft making in post-conflict areas as a means of reconstructing livelihoods. ICH elements
in urgent need of safeguarding have been identified through field research.
2. S
 afeguarding ICH on the Verge of Extinction: Vietnamese ICH Element Dong Ho Woodblock PrintingT ransmission of techniques and knowledge of woodblock printing of Dong Ho is under the threat due to the aging of artisans and the rapid urbanization and industrialization. A preliminary research was conducted to mitigate these problems through developing a community-based documentation.
 tudy of Legal Systems related to ICH in the Greater Mekong Region
3. S
For the purpose of strengthening legal systems related to ICH, field research assessing the current conditions of legal system was conducted in
Laos and Cambodia.
4. International Field School Alumni Seminar on ICH and Museums (August ６-18, 2013, Surin, Thailand)
The seminar targeting young ICH researchers and officers was organized in collaboration with the Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn Anthropology
Centre (SAC), following the MoU signed in FY 2012. IRCI dispatched an instructor for this seminar.
5. S
 tudy Tour for ICH officers from Timor-Leste (October 22-26, 2013, Japan)
The study tour for ICH officials and experts from Timor-Leste, involving a series of lectures, workshops, museum visits, was programmed in conjunction with UNESCO Jakarta Office. Tokyo, Oga City (Akita), Yuki City (Ibaraki), Mashiko Town (Tochigi) were visited.
 orkshop for Documentation of ICH as a Tool for Community Safeguarding Activities (February ４-6, 2014, Tokyo National Museum)
6. W
ICH practitioners in the Asia-Pacific region attended the workshop for developing methodologies for community-led documentation of ICH. ICH officials who had participated in other programmes of IRCI were also invited, expecting synergy among related projects.

20 Outline of the National Institutes for Cultural Heritage, 2014

●Activities B: Instigating research regarding the safeguarding of ICH in the Asia-Pacific region, through organizing international forums andconferences involving academics and experts, while collecting information pertaining to the study of ICH safeguarding
1. A
 Preliminary Meeting of International Experts of ICH Safeguarding (February 19-20, 2014, Bangkok, Thailand)
In this preparatory meeting among ICH experts, key issues relevant to the study of ICH safeguarding were identified and discussed.
●Activities C: Collaborating with Sakai City Museum, within the framework of the Centre’s mandate, to promote ICH elements inscribed in
the UNESCO’s representative and other lists, and international cultural understanding among the young generations
1.

International Symposium in Celebration of the 10th Anniversary of the 2003 Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural
Heritage (August 3, 2013, Hotel Agora Regency Sakai, Japan)
An international symposium celebrating the 10th anniversary of the 2003 convention was organized in collaboration with the Agency of
Cultural Affairs and Sakai City.

Research on Traditional
craftsmanship in Sri Lanka ©Centre
for Eco-Cultural Studies, Sri Lanka

International Experts Meeting (Bangkok)

International Symposium inCelebration of the 10th Anniversaryof the 2003 Convention (Sakai City)

Study Tour for ICH officers of TimorLeste in Japan (Tokyo, etc.)

Workshop for Young Film Makers for
ICH Video Documentation (Tokyo)●Website Information
The Centre’s website provides information not only in English, but also in the languages of target regions, for example, Vietnamese, Thai and otherlanguages with the aim of disseminating activity achievements as widely as possible in the areas that the activities relate to.

Brief History

Oct. 2009: Establishment of the centre was authorized at UNESCO General Conference
Aug. 2010: A greement for the establishment of the centre was concluded between theJapanese government and UNESCO
Mar. 2011: Agreement for the opening of the centre was concluded between Sakai City and
the National Institutes for Cultural Heritage
Apr. 2011: The Preparatory Office for the Asia-Pacific Intangible Cultural Heritage ResearchCentre was establishedOct. 2011: International Research Centre for Intangible Cultural Heritage in the Asia-PacificRegion was opened.

Facilities
Buildings（m2）
Building Area
Gross Floor Area

Number of Rooms

244.67244.67
4※The building is leased from Sakai City, Osaka Prefecture.

Outline of the National Institutes for Cultural Heritage, 2014 21

Ⅳ Reference Materials
Directors（As of July 1, 2014）
SASAKI Johei: President（Executive Director, Kyoto National Museum）
MATSUMURA Keiji: Director（Executive Director, Nara National Research Institute for Cultural Properties）
IKEHARA Mitsuhiro: Director

WATANABE Taeko: Director
YUKIYAMA Koji: Auditor
NAKAMOTO Fuminori: Auditor

Special Advisory Board（As of April 1, 2014）
We have a board of special advisors, consisting of professionals drawn from outside the institutes, to gather various opinions from many fields
concerning the management of the National Institutes for Cultural Heritage. The mission of the Board of Special Advisors is to discuss important issues about the management of the Institutes and give advice to the Chairperson of the Board. The number of board members is set at
20, and each member serves renewable 2-year terms. Usually, the board holds two meetings per year.

ABE Mitsuo: Honorary Executive Director, Tokyo National Museum
ANDO Hiroyasu: President, Japan Foundation
 irector of Sophia Asia Center for Research and
ISHIZAWA Yoshiaki: D
Human Development
IMAMURA Mineo: Professor Emeritus, National Museum ofJapanese History
KAZAOKA Noriyuki: Grand Steward, Imperial Household Agency
KAMII Monsho: Head Priest, Byodoin Temple
 rofessor Emeritus, Nara Women’s University
SATO Sojun: P
SHIRAISHI Taichiro: Executive Director, Osaka Prefecture Chikatsu
Asuka Museum
TANAKA Koji: Advisory Board Member, Kyushu Railway Company

 rofessor Emeritus, University of Tokyo
TSUJI Nobuo: P
TSUJIMURA Taizen: Executive Director, Gangoji Institute for
Research of Cultural Properties
NAKAJIMA Fumiko: Freelance Writer hairman of the Board, Toshiba Corp.
NISHIDA Atsutoshi: C
HAYASHIDA Suma: Executive Director, Onojo Madokapia Hall
 resident, Independent Administrative Institution
MABUCHI Akiko: P
National Museum of Art
Mari Christine: Cross-Cultural Communicator
REIZEI Tamehito: C hairperson of the Board of Directors, Reizei
Family Shiguretei Library

External Evaluation Board（As of April 1, 2014）
The performance of the Independent Administrative Institutions is evaluated by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology through an Assessment Board. The evaluation takes place each fiscal year and during each five-year plan. However, the National Institutes
for Cultural Heritage conducts its own performance evaluation independently and maintains its own External Evaluation Board consisting oflearned persons from outside the institutes.The External Evaluation Board is responsible for evaluating the operational performance of the Institutes and giving advice to the Chairperson of the Board. External Evaluation Board members serve renewable 2-year terms and hold meetingsand conduct inspections as required.
KOBAYASHI Tadashi: P rofessor Emeritus, Gakushuin University;
Executive Director, OKADA MUSEUM OF
ART（Chairperson）
 irector, NHK Promotions Inc.（Vice-Chairperson）
YOKOSATO Koichi: D
AYUKAWA Masaaki: Certified Public Accountant
 rofessor Emeritus, Okayama University
INADA Takashi: P
OKADA Yasuyoshi: Professor, Institute for Cultural Studies ofAncient Iraq, Kokushikan University
KAWAI Masatomo: Professor Emeritus, Keio University; Executive
Director, Chiba City Museum of Art
SAKAI Tadayasu: Executive Director, Setagaya Art Museum
SATO Makoto: P rofessor, Graduate School of Humanities an

Sociology, University of Tokyo
SONODA Naoko: Professor, Research Center for Cultural Resources, National Museum of Ethnology
 rofessor, College of Art and Design, Musashino
TAMAMUSHI Satoko: P
Art University
HAMADA Hiroaki: Professor, J. F. Oberlin University
FUJITA Haruhiko: P rofessor, Graduate School of Letters, Osaka
University
MORI Hiroko: Committee Member, Fukuoka Prefecture Council for
the Protection of Cultural Properties
 eporter, The Yomiuri Shimbun Osaka
YANAGIBAYASHI Osamu: R

Number of Staff
Division
Total

Number of staff

Administrative
staff

Technical andsecurity staff

Curators/
Researchers
180

323

124

19

National Institutes for Cultural Heritage Secretariat

17

17

0

0

Tokyo National Museum

92

34

11

47

Kyoto National Museum

36

18

4

14

Nara National Museum

33

15

4

14

Kyushu National Museum

27

10

0

17

National Research Institute for Cultural Properties, Tokyo

40

7

0

33

Nara National Research Institute for Cultural Properties

76

22

0

54

2

1

0

1

International Research Centre for Intangible Cultural Heritage in the
Asia-Pacific Region（Figures as of April 1, 2014）22 Outline of the National Institutes for Cultural Heritage, 2014

Organizational Chart
AdvisorPresident
Board of Special
Advisors

AuditorBoard of Outside
Evaluation

Board of Directors,
Directors

National Institutes for Cultural
Heritage Secretariat
CounselorResearch Coordinator
Secretary - General
General Aﬀairs
Financial Aﬀairs
Accounting
Facility MaintenanceTokyo National
MuseumExecutive
Director

Kyoto National
MuseumExecutive
Director

Executive
Vice Director

Executive
Vice Director
GeneralAﬀairs Division

Administration
Department
GeneralAffairs Division

Curatorial
Board

Accounting
Division

SpecialResearch Chair

Curatorial
Planning
Department
Planning
Division
Education
Division
Informatics
Division
Public Relations
and Press
Curatorial Research
Department
Collections
Management
Division

Nara National
MuseumExecutive
Director
Executive
Vice Director
GeneralAﬀairs Division
Curatorial
Division
SpecialResearch Chair

Kyushu National
MuseumExecutive
Director
Executive
Vice Director
GeneralAﬀairs Division
Curatorial
Board
Planning Division
MuseumScience
Division
Cultural
Properties
Division

Asian Cultural
Exchange Center※ Kyushu National
Museum is
managed incooperation with
Fukuoka Prefecture

National ResearchInstitute for Cultural
Properties, Tokyo

Nara National ResearchInstitute forCultural Properties

International Research Centre for
Intangible Cultural Heritage
in the Asia-Pacific Region

Director
General

Director
General

Director
GeneralDeputy Director
GeneralDepartment ofResearch
Support andPromotion
Department of
Art ResearchArchives andInformation
Systems
Department ofIntangible
Cultural
Heritage
Center forConservation
Science andRestoration
Techniques
Japan Center forInternational
Cooperation inConservation

Deputy Director
GeneralDeputy Director
GeneralDepartment ofResearch,
Support andPromotion
Administration
Division
Collaboration
Promotion
Division
Research
SupportDivision
Department ofPlanning and
Coordination
Department ofCultural Heritage
Department ofImperial Palace
Site Investigations
Center for
Archaeological
Operations
Asuka
HistoricalMuseumResearch
Division
Conservation
Division
SpecialResearch Chair（As of April 1, 2014）

BudgetFiscal 2014 Budget
Revenue

Source（Unit: JPY1,000）
Fiscal 2014

Fiscal 2013

Self-generated Income

1,322,634

1,322,634

Government funding for operating expenses

8,238,870

8,391,705

Income from commissioned projects

26,00026,000Grant for facilities improvement

2,990,365

2,853,965

Total

12,577,869

12,594,304

Expenditure（Unit: JPY1,000）
PurposeFiscal 2014

Fiscal 2013

Operational expenses

9,561,504

9,714,339

Personnel

3,100,606

2,781,812

Supply costs

6,460,898

6,932,527

Expenses for commissioned projects

26,00026,000

Facility improvement

2,990,365

2,853,965

Total

12,577,869

12,594,304

Outline of the National Institutes for Cultural Heritage, 2014 23

Income from External Sources
Grants-in-Aid for Scientific Research（2014）①

Fiscal 2014

Number of
projects②

Funding forCommissioned Work（2013）

Fiscal 2014

Amount（Number of projects）（Unit：JPY1,000）

Amount（Unit: JPY1,000）

Number of
projects

Research Grants（2013）

Amount（Unit: JPY1,000）

Number of
projects

Amount（Unit: JPY1,000）

National Institutes
for Cultural Heritage
Secretariat
Tokyo National Museum

0

0

0

（0）

0

0

0

0

0

16

47,44018（10）31,4602

29,0292

5,734

Kyoto National Museum

1

1,170

0

（0）

0

0

0

1

1,943

Nara National Museum
Kyushu National Museum

1
5

13,00022,620

1
8

（0）
（4）

910
11,18004

015,5435
0

10,5000National ResearchInstitute for Cultural
Properties, Tokyo7

18,20025（5）46,80024

231,080

7

4,800

Nara National ResearchInstitute for Cultural
Properties

17

106,25636（10）

45,89039

286,3249

7,090International ResearchCentre for Intangible
Cultural Heritage in the
Asia-Pacific Region

0

0

0

（0）

0

2

56,015

1

9,933

47

208,68688（29）

136,240

71

617,99125

40,000Total※The amount of ① is the appropriation amount as of April, 2014.
※② was established in 2011.
※The amount of ② is the estimated disbursement amount for FY2014.
※With regard to research topics for which both ① and ② were awarded, the number of projects and the amount of funding are included under the respective totals
for ① and ②; the figure given in parentheses for ② is the number of projects for which both types of Grants-in-Aid were awarded.
※Funding for commissioned work excludes commissions from the National Institutes for Cultural Heritage.

I nformation about Donation and Membership○Financial Donations and Cultural Property Donations【Financial Donations】

Independent Administrative Institutions are mainly administered through national grants for operational costs and facilities improvement.
However, difficult financial conditions and the streamlining of operations makes it necessary to receive outside funds as well. The National
Institutes for Cultural Heritage is no exception and we also need to secure other funding sources besides income from admission fees. For
these reasons, we welcome financial support from a wide range of organizations and individuals.
The National Institutes for Cultural Heritage has been designated by the National Tax Agency as a Special Public-Interest Promotion
Corporation. This means that donations to our institutions（by organizations or individuals）are eligible for more generous income and corporate
tax deductions than donations to regular private entities.

▲

Income tax

When donating to a Special Public-Interest Promotion Corporation, individuals can deduct part of this donation from their taxable income.
A FY2010 amendment to the tax law reduced the minimum annual tax-deductible donation amount from 5,000 yen to 2,000 yen, so any
individual who donates more than 2,000 yen annually to Special Public-Interest Promotion Corporations will be eligible for a tax deduction.
As a result, a donor will be able to deduct a donation amount of up to 40% of total income（minus 2,000 yen）when calculating income tax.

▲

Corporate tax

When donating to a Special Public-Interest Promotion Corporation, corporate entities can count the donation amount as a deductible
expense separate from other general donations. Furthermore, the reform of the tax system in December 2011 raised the ceiling for theamount of donations that could be included as deductible expenses. As a result, the maximum amount of donations that can be counted as
special deductible expenses =（amount of capital × 0.375（formerly 0.25）+ 6.25% of income（formerly 5%））× 1/2【Cultural Property Donations】

The National Institutes for Cultural Heritage is engaged in the preservation, management, research and display of cultural properties. In
addition to purchasing these cultural properties systematically, we also accept donations from individuals or organizations.

For further information about donations, please contact the following departments:
Institution

Cultural Property Donations

Phone Numbers

Accounting, Administration
Department

Collections Management,
Curatorial Research Department

03-3822-1111

Kyoto National Museum

Financial Affairs

Department of Registration andImage Archives

075-541-1151

Nara National Museum

Accounts

Department of Exhibition and
Education

0742-22-7772
0742-22-7774

Kyushu National Museum

Financial Affairs, General Affairs
Division

Collection Registration, Cultural
Properties Division092-918-2807

Department of Research Support and Promotion, Planning Section

03-3823-2249

Department of Research Support and Promotion, Administration Division0742-30- 6732

National Institutes for Cultural Heritage Secretariat, Financial Affairs

03-3822-2439

Tokyo National Museum

National Research Institutefor Cultural Properties, Tokyo
Nara National ResearchInstitute for Cultural
Properties
Inquiries not specifying
institutions

Section24 Outline of the National Institutes for Cultural Heritage, 2014

○Membership

CONTENTSTokyo National Museum and Nara National Museum are supported by the Supporting Member system, while Kyoto National
Museum is supported by the Seifukai Association. We also oﬀer “Friends of the Museum” and “Museum Passport” systems toencourage people to visit our museums more frequently. We welcome new members at any time of the year.

【Campus Members System】

Message
Ⅰ

Outline of the National Institutes for Cultural Heritage���2

Ⅱ

Projects of the National Institutes for Cultural Heritage ��5
１

Each of the four National Museums has its own membership programs for universities and colleges. These programs are aimed
at deepening cooperation with institutions of higher education and providing opportunities for their students to become familiar
with the National Museums. Members can enjoy various privileges, including free admission to regular exhibitions, for a yearly
membership fee corresponding to the number of students.

Acquisition and Preservation of Museum Collections ��5▪Collection▪Conservation and Restoration
Dissemination of Traditional Culture �����������5

２▪Exhibitions▪Number of Visitors▪Educational Activities
３

Contributing to Museum Activities as a Central
Organization for Museums in Japan �����������6

４

Promoting Surveys and Research as a Core Research
Organization for Japan’s Cultural Heritage��������6

５

Promotion of International Cooperation Related
to the Protection of Cultural Properties ���������7

６

Collection of Reference Materials and Disseminationof Research Outcomes������������������7

７

Improving Cultural Property Protection
by Assisting Local Public Organizations ���������7▪Collaboration with Universities

Ⅲ

Activities of Each Institution����������������8
Tokyo National Museum �����������������8
Kyoto National Museum ���������������� 10
Nara National Museum����������������� 12
Kyushu National Museum ��������������� 14
National Research Institute forCultural Properties, Tokyo ��������������� 16
Nara National Research Institute forCultural Properties������������������� 18
International Research Centre for Intangible
Cultural Heritage in the Asia-Pacific Region（IRCI）
��� 20

Ⅳ○Venue Hiring

Each of the four National Museums makes its facilities available as unique venues to the private entities for the holding ofvarious events. From corporate parties to outdoor ﬁlm showings, the museum facilities can be used for a wide range of activities.

Reference Materials ������������������� 22
Directors / Special Advisory Board /External Evaluation Board
Number of Staff
Organizational Chart
BudgetIncome from External Sources

Information about Donation and Membership�������� 24
Financial Donations and Cultural Property Donations
Membership
Venue hiring

A Special event held at the Gallery of Horyuji Treasures(Tokyo National Museum)Gala dinner party held at Heiseikan （Tokyo National
Museum）

Outline of the National Institutes for Cultural Heritage, 2014 25

JR U
gu
Statiisudanion

National Research Institutefor Cultural Properties, Tokyo

National Institutes for
Cultural Heritage Secretariat

International
Library ofWest Gate
Children’s
Literature
KurodaMemorial Hall
◀ To Tokyo
Metro Nezu
StationTOKYO NATIONAL
MUSEUM
Main Gate

National Science
MuseumTokyo Metropolitan
Art Museum

Fountain
Police Box

Ueno park

Tokyo Metropolitan
Festival HallPark Exit

JR UenoStationUeno Zoo

National Museumof Western Art

N

Tokyo Metro
Ueno Station

Keisei Ueno
StationAccess:（JR Line）10 min. from Ueno or Uguisudani Station（Ginza or Hibiya Tokyo Metro Line）15 min. from Ueno Station（Chiyoda Tokyo Metro Line）15 min. from Nezu Station（Keisei Line）15 min. from Keisei Ueno Station

National Institutes for Cultural Heritage
13-9 Ueno Park, Taito-ku, Tokyo, 110-8712
Phone: +81-3-3822-1196

URL: http://www.nich.go.jp/

2014
Outline of the National Institutes
for Cultural Heritage